Stuart Lancaster experienced the emotions of promotion-relegation while at Leeds © Getty Images

Enlarge

Stuart Lancaster kept his counsel over whether the Aviva Premiership system of promotion and relegation but said he hopes to be consulted on any changes to England's top flight.

Reports on Friday said the 14 founding Premiership clubs have held discussions with a view to expanding the top flight to from 12 to 14 teams in time for the 2016-17 campaign and also halting promotion and relegation, a change which would ring-fence the top flight.

The current heads of agreement between the Premiership and the Rugby Football Union comes to an end in 2016 and it gives both parties the chance to alter the current domestic landscape in England.

Lancaster has experienced both sides of the Premiership relegation-promotion coin during his tenure at Leeds. He presided over their promotion to the top flight in 2007 before then joining the RFU.

"I'm sure my opinion will be asked and I guess I've seen it from all ends," Lancaster said of the debate over promotion and relegation. "I can see it from a player development point of view. I've been at a club that has been promoted and relegated, and live within a county… So I understand how it feels.

"As the national coach now, I know the implications it would have on the national team and the structure of rugby within this country. So I like to think I have a rounded view of it."

And Lancaster feels if the top flight is ring-fenced, the knock on effect will be felt more at the 2023 Rugby World Cup than the 2019 competition.

"If you're asking me about 2019, I should be sat here now pretty much being able to tell you what the likely side is going to be - what the squad is going to be," Lancaster said. "It's more about 2023 because the next heads of agreement is from June 2016 to June 2024, it's an eight-year deal, so it will have implications beyond 2019."