The League One champions Rotherham will learn today whether they will be admitted to the Premiership next season. The board of England Rugby Ltd is meeting to decide whether the Yorkshire club meets the new criteria laid down for membership of the top flight.
A team of auditors has reported back to ERL after visiting Rotherham. The issue of relegation from the Premiership has become political with Bath, Harlequins and Saracens all in danger of finishing at the bottom of the table, a position currently occupied by Leeds.
Rotherham have failed to meet one of the criteria laid down because they will be playing at Rotherham United's Millmoor ground next season. Premiership rules state that clubs, other than ones who already have agreements, must be the principal tenants at the grounds where they play.
If the criteria are strictly observed, Rotherham will be denied promotion, but a group of MPs has already lobbied on the club's behalf and ERL is aware that there would be an outcry if the first division champions were denied their rightful spoils.
ERL is made up of five representatives from the Premiership clubs and five from the Rugby Football Union. The vote is likely to be close because Premier Rugby helped draw up the criteria and took a hard line on the issue of ground-sharing.
The France international Thomas Castaignède says he is fit enough to make his match comeback for Saracens against Northampton on Saturday, more than 18 months after he ruptured his achilles tendon.
"It will depend on the number of injuries in the team, but I would like to be there as a substitute," he said yesterday. "I had a really tough contact session today. I'm not physically 100% yet, but I've got so much desire to play."
Even if Saracens prefer not to risk Castaignède's newly repaired tendon until Newcastle on May 5 or, as originally planned, their final game of the season against Bristol a week later, the former France fly-half will be part of the Barbarians squad that tours England, Wales and Scotland in May and June.
"I've played two matches with the Baa-Baas," said Castaignède, "and they were wonderful, the kind of rugby I love to play."
Meanwhile, the Australia Rugby Union chief managing director John O'Neill has revealed that the International Rugby Board came close to refusing Australia the right to host the 2003 World Cup after New Zealand were axed as co-hosts following a wrangle over stadium advertising.
"I am convinced if we hadn't put our best foot forward, it would have gone to England or France. The level of exasperation by the RWC board was really that high."
Barbarians squad: Lomu (New Zealand), Benazzi (France), Cullen (New Zealand), Perry (England), Castaignède (France), Van Straaten (South Africa), Erasmus (South Africa), Pichot (Argentina), Garvey (South Africa), Delport (South Africa), Taylor (Scotland), Loeta (Western Samoa), Califano (France).
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