Welsh rugby: Board member criticised for downplaying sexism

A WRU board member has been described as being on another planet after downplaying reports into sexism at the organisation.

Henry Engelhardt criticised a BBC investigation into misogyny, sexism and racism at Welsh rugby's governing body, labelling it "sensationalism".

Tonia Antoniazzi, MP for Gower said she has to "wonder if he's part of the problem".

BBC Wales said it stood by the accuracy of the investigation.

"There's no sensationalism," Ms Antoniazzi said, adding: "The culture, the misogyny and sexism was only the tip of the iceberg of what we saw because women were too scared to come forward."

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She said she would like Mr Engelhardt to sit down and have a conversation with people like herself who have a different opinion.

Mr Engelhardt was made an independent non-executive director of the WRU in 2021, before becoming part of a group supporting an independent review after the BBC aired its story in January.

Various allegations of sexism and misogyny included the former boss of Welsh women's rugby, Charlotte Wathan, claiming that a male colleague joked in front of others that he wanted to "rape" her.

Mr Engelhardt criticised BBC Wales Investigates for not listening to the WRU's views on claims it had a "toxic culture".

It led to the resignation of WRU chief executive Steve Phillips and the promise of a taskforce to investigate.

Mr Engelhardt, who stood down as the Admiral boss in 2016, said he had "learned some things that are not complimentary about the BBC because they didn't listen".

"It taught me about something about journalism, and sensationalism and lack of accountability," he said.

He said the programme makers "didn't want to know" after being "talked through" various allegations by the WRU.

Charlotte Wathan worked at the Welsh Rugby Union for four years and says a male colleague "joked he wanted to rape me"

Some aspects of the programme "were not accurate", he said and "made it seem much worse than what actually may or may not even have happened".

He added: "I'm not saying there aren't problems in the WRU, but I don't think they were presented accurately in this programme."

He also criticised the investigation on BBC Wales politics podcast Walescast.

Ms Antoniazzi said Mr Engelhardt's comments were "disappointing for the victims and those women that have had very distressing experiences" of working in the Welsh Rugby Union.

The MP added there seems to be a "small number of men that have this attitude" and questioned whether they had been "briefed" or were "taking a particular line in order to deflect the assault that is on the WRU at the moment".

She added that having been part of the BBC programme and "faced with people speaking to me and wanting to tell me their experiences with the WRU, I just don't know what planet he's on."

Mr Engelhardt was also asked about admissions by the WRU's acting chief executive, Nigel Walker, who told a Senedd hearing he accepted there had been "failure to join the dots" about accusations of sexism and misogyny.

There was "a fault by the BBC", Mr Engelhart said, claiming the incidents in the programme had happened in 2018 or earlier.

But one of the complaints about misogyny in the WRU, from Amanda Blanc, was in fact from 2021. She later quit as Wales' Professional Rugby Board chairwoman.

A spokesperson for the BBC said: "The BBC stands by the accuracy and robustness of its journalism in the BBC Wales Investigates programme - Welsh Rugby Under the Spotlight - which exposed serious concerns raised about the WRU's handling of allegations of sexism, sexual harassment, misogyny, racist and homophobic comments and bullying by former staff."