WORCESTER Rugby Club's fight to get into Allied Dunbar Premiership One has been put on hold.

A High Court hearing in Sheffield yesterday to determine the size of the top division has been adjourned until the middle of August.

It now seems likely that the battle could rumble on until the start of the new league season on September 11.

Rotherham, who finished runners-up in Premiership Two, brought the action and have now been joined by all the clubs in Premiership Two.

They hope to force English First Division Rugby to comply with the terms of the Mayfair Agreement, which states that the Premiership should have two divisions of 14 teams. The top flight has now been reduced to 12 following the merger of London Irish with Richmond and London Scottish.

Rotherham chief executive Mike Yarlett said: "It was adjourned because they said they hadn't had enough time to file a defence."