This Sunday at Bedford Blues’ Goldington Road promises to be a compelling occasion, with the home side taking on Worcester Warriors for the Championship title.
The Championship trophy is the prize on offer, even though neither side can earn promotion to the top flight as a result of winning it.
That context does not diminish the contest, because the fixture demonstrates that the second tier of English rugby is capable of producing genuinely competitive and meaningful games.
Ealing Trailfinders outspent the rest of the league by a significant margin and went unbeaten across the regular season, yet they were unable to topple Worcester Warriors in last weekend’s semi-final.
That result alone signals there is real competition within the Championship, even if the pathway to the Premiership remains firmly closed for now.
The top flight is ringfenced until the end of the decade, and in reality, the argument can be made that this is the right course of action.
Salary cap spend data released by Prem Rugby this week shows every top flight club aside from Newcastle Red Bulls spending close to the legal ceiling for last season.
That figure is expected to rise for Newcastle this year and again next year, when a minimum spend requirement is introduced into the league.
Even Newcastle are massively outspending much of the Championship, meaning promotion for either Bedford Blues or Worcester Warriors would only expose the significant financial gulf between the two divisions.
Investment flowing into the second tier and a more stable commercial footing would need to come first before the promotion question is seriously revisited.
Having teams in the south east, Midlands and north east enter the Premiership would be beneficial to the top flight, and a new stipulation requires any expansion franchise to first play in the Championship.
Whether that involves a new club, a phoenix club risen from administration, or a side promoted into the second tier like Blackheath, the multiple pathways available represent a genuine positive for the game’s structure.
Prem Rugby clearly led this push, but the Championship has done well to embrace it, with the arrangement offering clubs a framework for sustainable long-term financial planning.
This Sunday, however, the focus is entirely on 80 minutes of rugby, with a title on the line and everything still to play for.