WORCESTER Rugby Club will know later today whether they are free to pursue their Premiership dream with an announcement expected on the future of the game.

English First Division Rugby (EFDR) clubs met yesterday to decide on the proposal to come out of the Sir Oliver Popplewell meeting which was approved by the Rugby Football Union at full council on Friday.

The blueprint for England's top 26 teams will see an automatic promotion place implemented for the winners of National One this season and next if EFDR commits to the deal today.

English Second Division Rugby (ESDR) clubs are expected to follow suit on the proposal if they get the green light from their First Division counterparts.

However, the promotion and relegation system will revert back to one play-off spot in 2003 after ESDR had to offer compromises for the deal to be brokered.

ESDR chairman Cecil Duckworth hopes, however, that the new system can be altered within the next couple of years to cement automatic promotion for years to come.

He said: "There is an opportunity to review the system between June 2002 and December 2003 so we are hopeful something can be changed in that period.

"We argued it was illogical to implement an automatic promotion place for two years and then revert back to the play-offs -- to us it didn't make any sense.

"That was the compromise though. Both parties had to budge a little in the dispute and that was our compromise. Hopefully things can be re-evaluated in the future."

Worcester's benefactor was keen to speak for the rest of the ESDR rather than just hail the breakthrough for his own benefit. However he at least admitted it was good news in the short term for the Sixways club.

Worcester lead National One by 11 points after the weekend win over London Welsh and are red-hot favourites to lift the title next April.