Rob Baxter questions viability of Championship clubs in Premiership Rugby Cup

Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter says a Premiership Rugby Cup made up solely of top-flight teams would be better commercially for the country’s leading clubs.

Reports have cast doubt on the future participation of Championship clubs in the competition, which plays its semi-finals this weekend.

Second tier sides have been part of the event for two seasons.

Reigning Championship champions Ealing reached the semi-finals last year and face Exeter at Sandy Park on Saturday for a place in the final.

Two Premiership and two Championship sides faced each other home and away in each pool this season – with second-tier sides often having their biggest gates against their Premiership opponents.

But Baxter says Exeter’s lowest crowds this season have been in the cup – where they faced Gloucester, Hartpury and Cornish Pirates in the pool stage.

“The game is needing to develop more money not less, and if the key element to that at the moment is revenue through the gate, through people coming and buying tickets, then ultimately that’s the one Premiership clubs have to look at,” he told BBC Sport.

“I don’t need to explain my position on playing Championship rugby, I captained Exeter Chiefs in the Championship for eight years.

“For me, all these grounds we’ve been going to I’ve played numerous times at with Exeter, I enjoyed that time doing that, you don’t need me to champion Championship clubs, I’ve done enough of that.

“But that is, at this stage, not the point. The point is making these competitions commercially viable and I think that’s what’s ruling the way.”