Scottish fans

RFU CHAMPIONSHIP new boys London Scottish will kick off their campaign against visiting Rotherham Titans on the weekend of September 3.

Scottish, who saw off Barking to claim the National One League title, will then travel to Bristol Rugby, bidding to get back in the Aviva Premiership after a three-season break.

The season will start on the weekend of September 3 and include a two-legged semi final for the first time.

Fixtures

Round 1 (September 3): Moseley v Cornish Pirates, Doncaster Knights v Bristol Rugby, London Scottish v Rotherham Titans, Leeds Carnegie v London Welsh, Plymouth Albion v Esher Rugby,  Nottingham Rugby v Bedford Blues

Round 2 (September 10): Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights, Esher Rugby v Bedford Blues, London Welsh v Plymouth Albion, Rotherham Titans v Leeds Carnegie, Bristol Rugby v London Scottish, Moseley v Nottingham Rugby

Round 3 (September 17): Doncaster Knights v Moseley, London Scottish v Cornish Pirates, Leeds Carnegie v Bristol Rugby, Plymouth Albion v Rotherham Titans, Bedford Blues v London Welsh, Nottingham Rugby v Esher Rugby

Round 4 (September 24): Cornish Pirates v Leeds Carnegie, Doncaster Knights v London Scottish, London Welsh v Nottingham Rugby, Rotherham Titans v Bedford Blues, Bristol Rugby v Plymouth Albion, Moseley v Esher Rugby

Round 5 (October 1): London Scottish v Moseley, Leeds Carnegie v Doncaster Knights, Plymouth Albion v Cornish Pirates, Bedford Blues v Bristol Rugby, Nottingham Rugby v Rotherham, Esher Rugby v London Welsh

Round 6 (October 8): Cornish Pirates v Bedford Blues, Doncaster Knights v Plymouth Albion, London Scottish v Leeds Carnegie, Rotherham Titans v Esher Rugby, Bristol Rugby v Nottingham Rugby, Moseley v London Welsh

Round 7 (October 15): Leeds Carnegie v Moseley, Plymouth Albion v London Scottish, Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights, Nottingham Rugby v Cornish Pirates, Esher Rugby v Bristol Rugby, London Welsh v Rotherham Titans

Round 8 (October 22): Cornish Pirates v Esher Rugby, Doncaster Knights v Nottingham Rugby, London Scottish v Bedford Blues, Leeds Carnegie v Plymouth Albion, Bristol Rugby v London Welsh, Moseley v Rotherham Titans

Round 9 (October 29): Plymouth Albion v Moseley, Bedford Blues v Leeds Carnegie, Nottingham Rugby v London Scottish, Esher Rugby v Doncaster Knights, London Welsh v Cornish Pirates, Rotherham Titans v Bristol Rugby

Round 10 (November 5): Cornish Pirates v Rotherham Titans, Doncaster Knights v London Welsh, London Scottish v Esher Rugby, Leeds Carnegie v Nottingham Rugby, Plymouth Albion v Bedford Blues, Moseley v Bristol Rugby,

Round 11 (November 19):Bedford Blues v Moseley, Nottingham Rugby v Plymouth Albion, Esher Rugby v Leeds Carnegie, London Welsh v London Scottish, Rotherham Titans v Doncaster Knights, Bristol Rugby v Cornish Pirates

Round 12 (November 26): Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates, London Scottish v Bristol Rugby, Leeds Carnegie v Rotherham Titans, Plymouth Albion v London Welsh, Bedford Blues v Esher Rugby, Nottingham Rugby v Moseley

Round 13 (December 3): Cornish Pirates v London Scottish, Esher Rugby v Nottingham Rugby, London Welsh v Bedford Blues, Rotherham Titans v Plymouth Albion, Bristol Rugby v Leeds Carnegie, Moseley v Doncaster Knights

Round 14 (December 10): London Scottish v Doncaster Knights, Leeds Carnegie v Cornish Pirates, Plymouth Albion v Bristol Rugby, Bedford Blues v Rotherham Titans, Nottingham Rugby v London Welsh, Esher Rugby v Moseley

Round 15 (December 24): Cornish Pirates v Plymouth Albion, Doncaster Knights v Leeds Carnegie, London Welsh v Esher Rugby, Rotherham Titans v Nottingham Rugby, Bristol Rugby v Bedford Blues, Moseley v London Scottish

Round 16 (December 31): Leeds Carnegie v London Scottish, Plymouth Albion v Doncaster Knights, Bedford Blues v Cornish Pirates, Nottingham Rugby v Bristol Rugby, Esher Rugby v Rotherham Titans, London Welsh v Moseley

Round 17 (January 7): Cornish Pirates v Nottingham Rugby, Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues, London Scottish v Plymouth Albion, Rotherham Titans v London Welsh, Bristol Rugby v Esher Rugby, Moseley v Leeds Carnegie

Round 18  (January 14): Plymouth Albion v Leeds Carnegie, Bedford Blues v London Scottish, Nottingham Rugby v Doncaster Knights, Esher Rugby v Cornish Pirates, Rotherham Titans v Moseley, London Welsh v Bristol Rugby

Round 19 (January 28) Cornish Pirates v London Welsh, Doncaster Knights v Esher Rugby, London Scottish v Nottingham Rugby, Leeds Carnegie v Bedford Blues, Bristol Rugby v Rotherham Titans, Moseley v Plymouth Albion

Round 20 (February 4); Bedford Blues v Plymouth Albion, Nottingham Rugby v Leeds Carnegie,  Esher Rugby v London Scottish, London Welsh v Doncaster Knights, Rotherham Titans v Cornish Pirates, Bristol Rugby v Moseley

Round 21 (February 18); Cornish Pirates v Bristol Rugby, Doncaster Knights v Rotherham Titans, London Scottish v London Welsh, Leeds Carnegie v Esher Rugby, Plymouth Albion v Nottingham Rugby, Moseley v Bedford Blues

Round 22 (February 25); Bedford Blues v Nottingham Rugby, Esher Rugby v Plymouth Albion, London Welsh v Leeds Carnegie, Rotherham Titans v London Scottish, Bristol Rugby v Doncaster Knights, Cornish Pirates v Moseley

Structure

12 clubs – Bedford Blues, Bristol Rugby, Cornish Pirates, Doncaster Knights, Esher Rugby, Leeds Carnegie, London Scottish, London Welsh, Moseley, Nottingham Rugby, Plymouth Albion, Rotherham Titans

League programme – Stage 1 (22 matches, starting weekend of September 3)
* all teams playing 22 matches (11 home & 11 away)
* 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for either a) scoring 4 or more tries or b) losing by 7 points or less
* top 8 teams from league progress to promotion play-offs
* teams 9-12 from league progress to relegation play-offs

Promotion Play-Offs – Stage 2 (6 matches)
* promotion play-off matches March 10, 17, 24, 31 – April 14, 21
* 2 pools of 4 teams playing 6 matches (3 home & 3 away)
* teams finishing 1, 4, 5 & 8 from league play in Pool A and will be ranked 1 to 4
* teams finishing 2, 3, 6 & 7 from league play in Pool B and will be ranked 1 to 4
* the 1st ranked team in each pool will start the Play-Offs with three points, the 2nd two, the 3rd one and the 4th none
* 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for either a) scoring 4 or more tries or b) losing by 7 points or le
* after 6 pool matches, top 2 teams from Pools A & B progress to semi final and then the winners to the final

Relegation Play-Offs (6 matches)
* relegation play-off matches scheduled for March 10, 17, 24, 31 – April 14, 21
* 1 pool of 4 teams playing 6 matches (3 home & 3 away)
* each team will carry forward one point for every game won in Stage 1.
* 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for either a) scoring 4 or more tries or b) losing by 7 points or less
* after 6 pool matches played, lowest ranked team is relegated to National Division One (level three)

Knockout games – Stage 3 (3 matches)
* semi final draw – 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B & 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A
* two-legged semi finals May 5 &12
* final May 23 & 30
* winner of Championship final promoted to Aviva Premiership subject to fulfilling entry criteria