LONDON Welsh’s proposal to bring Premiership rugby to the Kassam Stadium will be heard by an appeal panel today.

The Exiles’ home ground in Richmond is not big enough for the top flight, but they have an agreement to share with Oxford United.

Despite winning the Championship play-off last month, the club were told by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) they were ineligible for promotion after failing to meet the minimum standards criteria for the Premiership.

One of the main stumbling blocks centred on London Welsh lacking primacy of tenure at the Kassam, but four other clubs in the division operate under similar arrangements.

The appeal will be considered in central London from 9.30am today by an independent panel of James Dingemans QC, Ian Mill QC and Tim Ward QC.

It is expected to last until this evening, with a decision not likely until tomorrow.

The terms of the appeal process state the results of the hearing are binding on all parties, but if London Welsh lose there could still be a challenge in the courts.