'Rancour & disruption'- Beaumont warns against rebel vote

Bill Beaumont, who stepped in as the RFU's interim chair after Tom Ilube's resignation, says the internal row risks overshadowing this year's Women's Rugby World Cup in England

The Rugby Football Union would slide into months of "rancour and disruption" should a rebel motion to oust chief executive Bill Sweeney pass on Thursday, interim chair Bill Beaumont has warned.

A collective of clubs, led by those in the second-tier Championship, have forced a referendum on Sweeney's leadership.

They claim the organisation has lost touch with the grassroots game, highlighting Sweeney's salary, which has increased significantly thanks to a pay rise and a bonus scheme at a time of record RFU losses.

The RFU has tabled a rival motion, which promises to decentralise decision-making and rebuild regional support and funding for clubs.

Former England captain Beaumont accused those trying to depose Sweeney of running a campaign that had been, at times, "deeply regrettable, with demonstrably misleading claims, particularly around the game's finances".

"All of this playing out publicly has detracted from so many of the brilliant things happening in English rugby: from the incredible work of the volunteers running our grassroots game, to the strong men's Six Nations showing and now the focus on our Red Roses as they build to a home World Cup," he added.

However the Whole Game Union, which has co-ordinated the rebellion, placed the blame for the upheaval on RFU executives.

"The rancour and disruption to the game has only been caused by their intransigence and unwillingness to listen to and hear the issues raised over several years by participants, member clubs and referees' societies," it said.

"This vote for change is asking the board to remove our CEO through a managed process."

It also revealed that it has proposed changes to the RFU's structure to give the organisation's wider membership, which consists of 1,200 clubs and stakeholders, more control over major decisions and leaders.

The changes will be voted on at the RFU's annual general meeting in the summer, where they would need a 66% majority to pass.

Should they pass, the RFU's remodelled structure would be contrary to standards set by funding bodies Sport England and UK Sport which support rugby union and the staging of major events.

Concerns over that money "should not override the need to do what is right for the Union and its members" added the Whole Game Union.