Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Sweeney survives vote of no confidence at RFU special general meeting

By PA
RFU CEO Bill Sweeney (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney has survived a vote of no confidence in his leadership to signal a ceasefire in the civil war that had broken out in the game.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, the rebel clubs calling for Sweeney’s contract to be terminated by the board at a special general meeting on Thursday warned that promised governance and structural reforms must be completed to avoid a further outbreak of conflict.

A community game uprising ignited by the bonus and pay scandal that has gripped Twickenham gathered enough support to trigger the RFU’s first SGM for 20 years and tabled the motion calling for Sweeney to be dismissed as soon as possible.

But they received only 206 of the 708 votes cast with 36 members abstaining, registering 29.10 per cent of the total.

Fixture
Internationals
Argentina
15:40
5 Jul 25
England
All Stats and Data

The 65.82 per cent who polled in support of Sweeney means the highest ranking administrator in English rugby has faced down the rebellion. The total RFU membership with voting rights is in the region of 1,300.

Interim chairman Sir Bill Beaumont, who stepped in when predecessor Tom Ilube resigned in January in response to the crisis, described the outcome as “emphatic” and “decisive”.

“I ask that you now give the RFU the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to progress. We are listening and taking action,” Beaumont said.

ADVERTISEMENT

“These last few months have not been easy for English rugby where a lot has played out in the media. Now is the time to pull together and this shouldn’t happen again.

“But it’s important to remember, and we do understand this, that we are all united by a common passion for the game.”

A second proposal tabled by the RFU in response to concerns raised during the roadshow around clubs recently undertaken by Sweeney and Beaumont pledged to give regional bodies more freedom to run the community game in their locality. This received 554 votes with 127 voting against and 24 abstaining.

The rebels, represented by the Whole Game Union (WGU), were satisfied with the promises made by the RFU and will shelve a motion calling for its entire board to be sacked.

ADVERTISEMENT

But they vowed to resume hostilities if the reforms are not forthcoming, setting a deadline of the annual general meeting in June for them to be in place.

“The result was not as important as what comes next. What we have seen is a very strong support for change,” WGU co-chair Alistair Bow said.

“When you look at the numbers and percentages (in support of Sweeney) it clearly shows that there’s a big problem in the game.

“If you were in the corporate world with that result, as a CEO you would be in a spot of bother, you wouldn’t be surviving.

“However, what has been said is that clubs want change and they are expecting to see change. The strong message from speaking to Bill Sweeney and Bill Beaumont and (RFU president) Rob Udwin afterwards is that we are going to see change.

“They know that the world has been looking at them and that the rugby public are expecting to see change.

“Now we are going to see how that plays outs. Hopefully we can work together. The hard work starts today.”

Related

Download the RugbyPass app now!

News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!

ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
I
IkeaBoy 50 days ago

How???????????

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 4 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy
Search