Three former chairmen of the Rugby Football Union have called for the mass resignations of the union’s current hierarchy in the wake of the row over record financial losses and the salary and bonuses paid out to its top executives.
In a year when the union has reported an annual loss of almost £40m, the RFU’s chief executive, Bill Sweeney, was paid a total of £1.1m, comprising a salary of £742,000 and a long-term incentive plan (LTIP) bonus of £358,000.
It has prompted a major backlash across the game following the revelation that other executives have also shared a healthy bonus pot despite the RFU having recently made more than 40 staff redundant. Now, amid speculation about a possible union rebellion, three former senior Twickenham figures have issued a letter suggesting the position of senior officials was now “untenable” and that the saga has caused significant damage to the reputation of the RFU.
Martyn Thomas, Graeme Cattermole and Brian Baister, who were in charge at Twickenham at various times between 1998 and 2011, have all added their voices to previous criticism from the former chief executive Francis Baron in the Guardian, making clear their belief that sweeping change is now required.
“The recent RFU announcement of a world record net financial loss to reserves for a sports national governing body of £42m, accompanied by large pay increases and bonus payments being made to the chairman, CEO and other executives just a month after declaring 42 staff redundancies has done enormous and irreparable damage to the reputation of the RFU with member clubs, employees and supporters of the game,” read the joint letter.
“We would respectfully suggest that the positions of the chairman, CEO and the relevant RFU board members are now untenable. We believe a new leadership team is required to chart a new way forward, start the process of rebuilding and respect and therefore urge those officers responsible to do the honourable thing.”
RFU president Rob Udwin has also raised hackles by suggesting to council members that the adverse publicity was the result of “media spinning” and clickbait. It is understood that efforts are being made to garner sufficient support to call a special general meeting with the aim of forcing a vote of no confidence in Tom Ilube, the RFU chair, and pushing for Sweeney’s removal.
