The chief executive of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Bill Sweeney, has survived a vote of no confidence at a special general meeting (SGM), bringing to end months of infighting and speculation about his, and the Union’s, future.
The motion was voted against by 65%, with the 708 votes registered representing the biggest turnout in a RFU vote in over two decades. The motion was brought due to various perceived governance failures during Sweeney’s tenure to date, including executive pay and remuneration and the union’s record losses last year. A second motion to speed up governance reforms was overwhelmingly supported at the meeting, passing by 554 votes to 127.
The SGM, the first of its kind for more than 20 years, was a significant event for English rugby and offered an opportunity for stakeholders at all levels of the game to hold the RFU’s leadership to account.
However, having survived the no confidence vote, the embattled 67-year-old will now feel he has been given a clear mandate to continue, with the RFU board squarely behind him and many big names in the wider game also offering their support.
But while Sweeney’s hand has undoubtedly been strengthened, the rebellion has highlighted the serious and varied grievances in play across the English rugby pyramid, from Championship clubs facing cuts to their funding, clubs complaining about arduous rules to enter the Premiership, executive pay, governance and accountability, and referees responsible for enacting the bungled tackle-height change. The fact that more than 200 clubs felt the time was right for a change of chief executive shows the level of dissatisfaction with the trajectory of English rugby, particularly among clubs in the lower leagues and wider community game.
The RFU navigated the challenging situation with some skill. Sir Bill Beaumont’s selection as interim chair following the departure of Tom Ilube (himself an earlier target of a no confidence motion before he resigned) helped to smooth some ruffled feathers, while the travelling roadshows undertaken by Sweeney and Beaumont ahead of the SGM vote also gave them the chance to hear grievances first hand and meet the rank-and-file members who would ultimately decide Sweeney’s fate.
The RFU’s commitment to change its governance structures seems to have helped to dampen the rebels’ zeal, with a promise of greater devolution set amid a programme of wider reforms. According to senior RFU figures, these governance reforms are a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to revolutionise how the game is run, with less centralised control over decision-making, including league structures and investment. The RFU has until the annual general meeting in June to come up with its proposals which will then be presented to members.
The motion to replace Sweeney may have been comprehensively defeated, but the whole saga has been bruising for the RFU and its chief. Now that Sweeney is secure, what is important is what comes next – the RFU will need to work hard to re-establish confidence and trust in its leadership and decision making, develop a roadmap to refine the RFU’s remit, and make progress on the commercial side to recoup the record £37.9 million losses incurred last year.
While the rebels were largely satisfied with the promises made by the RFU, they will certainly renew hostilities if the proposed reforms are not satisfactory. Change is expected, now Sweeny and the RFU mustn’t drop the ball, or they will simply stoke this simmering discontent.
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The above is accurate as at 07 April 2025.
The information above may be subject to change.
The content of this note should not be considered legal advice and each matter should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
