Rotherham's prospects of playing in the Zurich Premiership next season improved yesterday when English rugby's powerbrokers postponed a decision on the Yorkshire club's plans to share a ground with the First Division football club Rotherham United.

After yesterday's discussions ended in stalemate the board of England Rugby Ltd, made up equally of representatives from the Premiership clubs and the Rugby Football Union, will make a final decision next Tuesday on whether Rotherham, the first division champions, will be promoted.

It seems likely that Rotherham, whose Clifton Road home does not meet new criteria for grounds in the Premiership, will replace the bottom club. Leeds occupy the one relegation spot but Harlequins, Bath and Saracens still linger above the drop zone.

Premiership rules stipulate that clubs must be the principal tenants of the grounds at which they are based. The criteria, drawn up at the end of last year, are not retrospective, so the clubs already playing at soccer grounds - London Irish, Saracens, Wasps and Bristol - can continue to do so. Wasps will be temporarily evicted from Loftus Road next season because the ground's owners, Queens Park Rangers, will be sharing the facilities with Fulham while Craven Cottage is redeveloped.

Wasps want to play at Adams Park, home of Wycombe Wanderers, but they have been refused planning permission and an appeal against the decision will be heard next month. The club's director of rugby Warren Gatland yesterday inspected Oxford United's Kassam Stadium.

With Wasps free to relocate at a football ground without jeopardising their Premiership status, on the ground that their move will not be permanent, the RFU is only too aware how refusing Rotherham entry to the Premiership because they intend to play at Millmoor would appear to be a case of double standards.

Twickenham said last night that the board meeting had failed to resolve the issue because additional information was needed, but the RFU chief executive Francis Baron had said earlier this year that Rotherham should be promoted.

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