(Reuters) - Doncaster Knights will be eligible for promotion from the second-tier Championship to the top-flight Premiership after they met the minimum standards criteria (MSC), England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) said on Wednesday.
The Knights still need to win their division and are fourth in the standings, 14 points behind leaders Ealing Trailfinders, with six games remaining.
"Promotion is subject to coming top of the Championship league at the end of the season and then winning a two-legged home and away play-off against the club finishing bottom of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby table," the RFU said.
"Doncaster Knights was the only Championship club to apply to for a MSC audit and is therefore the only club eligible for promotion."
Last season Doncaster were also the only club eligible for promotion but finished sixth, while in the previous campaign, 2021-22, no club had met the minimum standards.
"Of course we are delighted to pass the RFU audit for the second year running, we are very proud of our facilities and the staff here constantly strive towards the best performance, no matter their role," Knights' managing director Emma White said.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes)
