Championship clubs call for vote over RFU leaders
Bill Sweeney has been the RFU's chief executive since May 2019, after serving in a similar role at the British Olympic Association
- Published
Clubs in English rugby's second tier have united to demand a debate on a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the Rugby Football Union.
Championship clubs have called on RFU president Rob Udwin to convene a Special General Meeting to discuss a vote of no confidence in the organisation's chairman Tom Ilube and chief executive Bill Sweeney.
The clubs are unhappy after Sweeney was paid a bonus of £358,000 despite the RFU posting a record operating loss of nearly £40m.
Sweeney - whose total remuneration was £1.1m - was one of six executives who shared a bonus pot of £1.3m at a time when the union is making more than 40 people redundant.
The 12 clubs said in a statement that they "could no longer stand by and allow the current situation, and the unaccountable decision making that led to it, to continue without challenge".
They added a vote would allow "the first steps to fundamental change" to be taken.
Ampthill, Bedford Blues, Caldy, Cambridge, Chinnor, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Doncaster, Ealing Trailfinders, Hartpury, London Scottish and Nottingham are the 12 teams who make up the current Championship.
Championship sides - such as Caldy and Cornish Pirates, who faced each other on Saturday - have seen their central funding from the RFU cut from £645,000 in 2019 to £150,000 after the Covid-19 pandemic
The call from the Championship clubs comes after three former RFU chairmen called for Ilube, Sweeney and "the relevant RFU board members" to resign.
Martyn Thomas, Graeme Cattermole and Brian Baister claimed "enormous and irreparable damage" had been done to the reputation of the RFU by the awarding of the bonuses.
The Community Clubs Union - a group of grassroots clubs campaigning for change - also says it fully supports the letter from Thomas, Cattermole and Baister.
In a statement responding to the Championship's call for a vote, the RFU said: "The RFU ends this latest four-year cycle with a strong balance sheet, no debt, a robust cash position and positive profit and loss reserves.
"We always see losses in a Rugby World Cup year due to fewer home games and increased costs associated with attending the RWC. These revenue impacts were anticipated, planned for and are in line with expectations.
"The RFU has continued to invest strategically in the game at all levels and for the last two years the RFU has been working hard to develop a redesigned Championship with the aim of developing a whole game solution to support the development of England Rugby.
"The objective has been to create a second tier that supports the English rugby system by developing young English talent, whilst supporting the clubs to become financially sustainable by growing local audiences, improving standards, and increasing the value of the league.
"Significant research has been undertaken and external independent advice sought to underpin the strategy. Minimum standards have been proposed along with increased RFU funding and a mechanic for promotion and relegation with tiered capacities for entry into the Premiership and a governance structure to give greater self-determination."