Welsh Rugby Union: New chairman Richard Collier-Keywood promises published strategy in 2024
- Published
'We need to be clear what is acceptable behaviour and what is unacceptable behaviour'
Welsh Rugby Union chairman Richard Collier-Keywood has promised the governing body will produce an overarching strategy in 2024.
An independent review found aspects of the WRU's culture were sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic and not properly challenged.
Collier-Keywood and incoming chief executive Abi Tierney head a new-look board early next year.
"It's vital Welsh rugby has a joined-up strategy," said Collier-Keywood.
"That will be by the first half of the next calendar year. When I first came in it was something I identified as a weakness.
"A lot of people told me the WRU does not have strategy. Whether it did or not, if most people think it doesn't, then it probably doesn't. It is not just about creating a strategy, it is about communicating it.
"If people don't understand what you are trying to do, it is very difficult to line everything up."
The report also said the WRU environment also had elements of bullying and discrimination, and was described as toxic by some employees and governance was found to have not been fit for purpose.
The WRU board was also described as dysfunctional, ill-equipped and unable to address the serious institutional and culture problems it faced, with a new-look board assembled since March 2023.
The report was commissioned by the WRU following a BBC Wales investigates programme that raised serious allegations against the governing body in January.
On a separate matter, Wales players threatened to strike in the following month for the Six Nations home match in Cardiff over contractual issues, an issue that was resolved three days before the game was staged.
Richard Collier-Keywood became the first Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) appointed independent chair in July 2023 when he replaced Ieuan Evans
Collier-Keywood, who took over in July 2023, said he was aware of the financial ramifications the WRU faced in the first half of the year following the controversies.
"If I was a sponsor at that point I'd have been worried," said Collier-Keywood.
"You want to associate yourself with positive brands and up to that point the WRU had been seen to be a very positive brand, obviously prior to the allegations.
"Financially we were pretty precarious, if some of the major sponsors had pulled their deals.
"It was very public the issues with the players at that point in time, that got solved but it was a very precarious situation and I wouldn't want to go back there again.
"We have had a lot of contact with our sponsors and are grateful to them for sticking with us through these difficult times.
"My commitment is to create a cultural change and to have a new WRU going forward and I think we'll be able to do that."
Steve Phillips (left), who had appointed Nigel Walker (right) as WRU performance director in 2021, resigned in January 2023. Walker took as interim chief executive and will become the executive director of rugby in January 2024
Money talks, regional issues
The WRU released the annual accounts last week in the annual general report which showed an increase in turnover to £100m.
They also include almost £2m handed out to former employees with ex-chief executive Steve Phillips, who resigned in January following the BBC programme, receiving a £480,000 pay-off.
That raised eyebrows among the Welsh rugby public but Collier-Keywood says it is not something that can be revisited.
"The pay-off was an agreement between Steve Phillips and the WRU at the time," said Collier-Keywood.
"That was done months ago so it looks that would be very difficult to reopen."
While turnover has increased, the amount of money the four Welsh professional sides are receiving is falling.
The budgets for Dragons, Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff have been reduced to £5.2m this season and there will be a further cut to £4.5m for the 2023-24 campaign.
"The budgets are dependent on not just what we do but the commercial income the clubs are able to generate as well," said Collier-Keywood.
"At the moment it will go to £4.5m. If we are more successful financially that number will go up and that is the key."
The four Welsh sides are in the bottom six positions of the URC table below the two Italian sides and have only recorded two wins in games against sides from other nations so far. It was what was predicted by many and promises to be a long winter.
Collier Keywood is hoping domestic fans will keep the faith.
"The regions are a massive priority," he said.
"We want there to be four vibrant professional clubs in Wales where people can go along on a weekend and watch an excellent match that has jeopardy and is competitive.
"You have got to ask people to come and watch the matches. Unless we have a vibrant regional game we will not have a vibrant national game.
"My encouragement to fans is to get out there and support your local clubs. It may be a difficult time at the moment but this is a long-term strategy so in two or three years I hope things will have changed.
"Even in the shorter-term there will be a much better closer working relationship between us and the regional clubs. I think you will see the benefits of that over the next year or so."
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions wing Gerald Davies became the 50th president of the Welsh Rugby Union in October 2019 when he took over from Dennis Gethin
Collier-Keywood was talking after the WRU annual general meeting (AGM), where departing president Gerald Davies was given a rousing ovation after delivering his parting address before he hands over the reins to Terry Cobner.
Davies spoke of the "challenging year" and "traumatic time" which had not been "a comfortable period for Welsh rugby".
The former Wales wing stated the WRU carried the "hopes and aspiration of a whole country" and it needed to "redefine itself and re-establish our role in Welsh rugby".
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