Rebecca Thomas: Cornish Pirates chief executive to step down

Rebecca Thomas has worked at Cornish Pirates since 2010

Cornish Pirates chief executive Rebecca Thomas will leave the club at the end of the season.

Thomas, who is also finance director at the Championship club, will stay on the board in an advisory role.

She has been with the club for 14 years in various roles, and became chief executive in 2020, but is leaving to take up a new role outside of rugby.

Her departure comes as uncertainty over the future of English rugby union's second tier continues.

Championship clubs are unhappy at plans from the Rugby Football Union over how rugby below the top flight will be organised form 2025 onwards.

Plans to move the Pirates to a new stadium in Truro have also come to an end, after the club's owners sold Truro City Football Club to a Canadian consortium last November.

"This was the end of an era for the Cornish Pirates, a period that Rebecca has been instrumental totally in managing very well," Pirates owner Sir Richard Evans said.

"No question of dodgy budgets or lack of financial controls that could see the Pirates go the same way as other clubs, into receivership.

"Throughout the 14 years she has been a pleasure to deal with, always got a smile on her face as she negotiated the rigours of dealing with a rugby union that is desperately lacking in organisation as far as Championship clubs are concerned.

"She leaves the club at a time where we are still negotiating our way ahead, with the sunset funds running out next season.

"She remains a key adviser by staying on the board of the Pirates, where no doubt she will ask all the right questions with her experience of the club's finances."

Thomas added: "The decision has not been an easy one, it is going to be very strange not being a part of the day to day and I will miss it terribly, but it is time for a new challenge for me professionally and I am looking forward to what the future holds.

"There have been some incredible highs and some tough lows, that's the world of professional sport, and it's been a real privilege to have played such a part in the history of this fantastic club and brand."