Sam Warburton: Ex-Wales captain says allegations against WRU are 'embarrassing'

Sam Warburton captained Wales on 49 occasions

Former Wales captain Sam Warburton says allegations against the Welsh Rugby Union [WRU] have been "damaging" and "embarrassing."

A BBC Wales Investigates programme unveiled allegations of sexism and misogyny at the organisation.

Warburton expressed his sadness at the crisis that has engulfed Welsh rugby.

"The cracks have been there for a while, it has taken a few brave people to come out and say it," Warburton told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Warburton captained Wales and the British and Irish Lions before retiring in 2018 and was also briefly part of Wayne Pivac's coaching set-up in 2020.

"I speak passionately about the WRU and what you think might need to happen to it," added Warburton.

"I want it to be good, you are proud of it and it's part of our identity as a nation.

"It is difficult to see. There are a lot of fantastic people who work for the WRU and the shame is a minority have created this negativity from a few bad conversations.

"Don't get me wrong, they are absolutely unacceptable. As soon as they find out who it is, I would have no remorse in getting rid of them, you can't have that within your environment at all.

"It needs to be vetted from day one and an ongoing process to make sure things never escalate to that level.

"It is damaging and embarrassing."

Warburton admits the turbulence at the WRU is casting a shadow over Wales' Six Nations preparations.

"There was a much more positive mood particularly around the performance side of the WRU when Warren Gatland was named head coach and some excitement," he said.

"Just as they were building some momentum towards the Six Nations again it comes crashing down with the misogyny, sexism and racism claims and allegations.

"That's a real shame. I was at the Principality Stadium this morning and seeing the people in charge there doing the utmost to try and correct that as soon as possible."

• Calls to change the WRU board

Welsh women's rugby former manager Charlotte Wathan described a "toxic culture" of sexism at the WRU.

Amanda Blanc, who chaired Welsh rugby's professional board and now chief executive of Aviva insurance company, told the WRU it had a "deep rooted" culture and behavioural problems.

In her WRU leaving speech, Ms Blanc, on the 2021 Forbes most influential women in the world list, said she was questioned whether she had "sufficient business experience" to be the chairwoman of the WRU's professional board.

Performance director Nigel Walker has taken over as acting CEO after Steve Phillips resigned, and said he aims to "put things right".

"A lot of it has happened around the women's game," added Warburton.

"Some people think it does not generate what the men's game does, so why put the resources into it?

"But if you are building a business and invest in it and make it good and an aspect of the business that is successful it will become a generator.

"Some of the women have come out and said they felt undervalued.

"Nigel Walker is an honourable man and told them he would get them professional contracts and he delivered it.

"Once you get a leader like that who backs up what he says and empowers people, that is when you will get a buy in.

"That seems like it was not the case beforehand. It seems to have happened at board level.

"The WRU were very privileged to have Amanda Blanc, the chief executive of Aviva and a very influential businesswoman globally, who herself walked away because the governance need modernising.

"I think the Union now have recognised things have to change and hopefully the people in those positions of privilege and power realise it is time to put the WRU first."

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• UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: Wales Investigates explores the culture of the WRU