Blackheath's promotion confirms Championship 2026-27 line-up after 27-7 Accession Final win

Blackheath Rugby will play Championship rugby for the first time since 1999 after beating London Scottish 27-7 in the Accession Final, completing the 14-team line-up for English rugby’s second tier in 2026-27.

Founded in 1858, Blackheath are widely recognised as the world’s oldest rugby club, and their return to the Championship ends a 26-year absence from that level of the game. They finished the National 1 season as runners-up to Rotherham Titans, who have themselves been promoted after Cambridge were relegated as the Championship’s bottom club.

Tries from Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas, Billy Harding — whose score was his 49th of a remarkable campaign — and Tom Hughes did the damage, with Sam Morley adding 12 points from the boot to seal a comfortable victory for the Club.

Elsewhere in the Championship play-offs, the title will be decided between Worcester Warriors and Bedford Blues after both sides won their semi-finals. Worcester produced one of the results of the season by ending Ealing Trailfinders’ unbeaten record, with Jake Garside scoring in the final play of the game to clinch a 34-29 win at Sixways.

Bedford, meanwhile, will host the final at Goldington Road after a dominant second-half display saw them overturn a 12-10 half-time deficit against old rivals Coventry, eventually running out 58-24 winners. The final will determine which club enters next season as reigning Championship champions.