Jamie Roberts: Former Wales centre among new WRU board members

Jamie Roberts worked as a television pundit since retiring as a player in 2022

Former Wales centre Jamie Roberts has been appointed to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) board as one of three new non-executive directors.

Roberts will be joined by former Wales player and coach Amanda Bennett and financial and commercial expert Jennifer Mathias.

Cat Read and Henry Engelhardt are stepping down from the board.

Terry Cobner has been confirmed as the new WRU president to succeed Gerald Davies.

Former Wales captain, assistant coach and WRU director of rugby Cobner was elected unopposed by member clubs.

The 77-year-old, also a British and Irish Lion, will become the governing body's 51st president and the ninth former Wales international to hold the post.

Terry Cobner is a former Pontypool and Wales flanker

New board structure

The 12-person WRU board, which governs Welsh rugby, is made up of eight appointed directors including the chair Richard Collier-Keywood and chief executive, with Abi Tierney starting this role in January 2024.

Seven of these have appointments now been announced which includes four women from the elite sports and business worlds.

The remaining four elected places are subject to elections in November and, by the end of the year, the new board will be in place with the WRU's published gender diversity ambitions set to be realised.

This new policy was implemented following a BBC Wales investigates programme in January 2023 which raised questions of sexism and misogyny within the organisation. The findings of an independent review into the WRU's culture has yet to be appointed.

Who are the new members?

Jamie Roberts played club rugby for Cardiff, Racing Metro, Bath, Harlequins, Stormers and Dragons.

Roberts played 94 times for his country, toured twice with the Lions and won two Grand Slams and three Six Nations Championship with Wales, all while studying medicine at Cardiff University and, later, gaining further degrees from both Loughborough and Cambridge Universities.

"As a recently retired international player I have an immense passion for Welsh rugby," said Roberts, 36.

"It is a huge honour to take on a position of responsibility and influence during such an important period for the game in Wales.

"My experiences across the world have provided me with a varied and valuable insight into high performance from a player's perspective.

"I relish the opportunity to harness my experience and knowledge on and off the playing field to contribute further to the WRU and a sport that has shaped my life."

Bennett, a decorated former player with Saracens women, was Wales' first women's fly-half in the inaugural 1987 side and is a veteran of two World Cups. She later became head coach between 1998 and 2000.

Bennett is also a former teacher and worked for UK Sport for a decade. She has since established FairPlay Enterprises Ltd, advising on governance, leadership and EDI for the Premier League and all four home Unions.

"I am as passionate now as I was when I started my playing career about the growth and success of rugby in Wales, especially women's rugby," said Bennett.

"I aim to use my governance, leadership and inclusion expertise as well as my knowledge and experience as a board director in this role.

In 2021, Amanda Bennett was asked to become a member of the independent panel which carried out a strategic review of the WRU Women's performance programme.

"Wales Women are climbing the world rankings and this is as a result of the WRU's current performance leadership and investment programme.

"This programme is en route to becoming world leading, based on the implementation of recommendations of the WRU's 2021 Women's Performance review.

"These are exciting times for the women's game and this progress will form part of the wider strategic direction for the game as a whole. I am looking forward to shaping that future with the chair and board colleagues."

Mathias is from a Pembrokeshire farming family and lives in west Wales. She describes herself as a 'deeply commercial' chief financial officer (CFO), working for wealth management firm Rathbones, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

"I am delighted to be bringing my financial and transformation experience to help the WRU prosper during this most critical and important strategic journey ahead," she said.

"I firmly believe this is a WRU which will create a one-Wales approach to rugby resulting in a modern, accessible and sustainable future for the game in Wales at all levels."

Jennifer Mathias hails from Pembrokeshire

What the WRU say

"We have recruited a wide and diverse range of high quality candidates to new board positions from an extremely high quality field," said WRU chair Collier-Keywood.

"The new board is taking shape and we are delighted with the blend of business and commercial experience, governance acumen and elite sporting knowledge that we have been able to put together.

"We have not only significantly improved the gender diversity of our board, but also introduced a new diversity of thought and experience in terms of both age and occupation, with the appointment of individuals who are respected in their respective fields."

Richard Collier-Keywood was appointed as the first Welsh Rugby Union independent chair in 2023

Collier-Keywood also paid tribute to the departing board members.

"Both Cat and Henry's contributions to Welsh rugby over the course of their three-year terms have been incredibly valuable and it is fair to say we would not have reached our current stage of advanced progression without them," he added.

"I am also grateful for the support shown by the elected members of the board who have been critical to the recruitment process as well as their huge contribution as volunteers to Welsh rugby over many years.

"In particular Dave Young, whose tenure has timed-out as has Chris Morgan's, though Chris stood down earlier in the year when Alison Thorne was appointed.

"Also, to Anthony Buchanan who has resigned his board position in order to support the new direction of travel voted for by member clubs and indicated he will not be seeking re-election to the board after the AGM in November."