We look at the reasons why RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney has faced calls for his sacking after 141 member clubs signed a letter demanding a special AGM…
What happened to set things off?
A total of 141 signatories were included in the letter sent to the RFU on Thursday, easily exceeding the 100 member clubs required to launch an SGM under the governing body's rules.
A statement released by the Rugby Football Referees Union (RFRU), which is leading the rebellion, revealed that the initial resolution being discussed at the SGM will include a call for the board to terminate Sweeney's employment “as soon as possible”.
RFU chairman Tom Ilube was the main target of the rebellion, but he stood down last month in response to an outcry over an executive pay and bonus scandal that has engulfed Twickenham.
RFU president Tom Ilube resigned last month
What was the RFU's response?
After receiving the letter, the RFU claimed it contained “a number of inaccuracies” and that it “does not comply with the relevant requirements and is therefore invalid as an SGM application”.
It also said the nine professional referees it employs had distanced themselves from the RFRU, with officials saying “we have not endorsed any of the statements or meetings they have proposed”.
A spokesman for the 141 clubs seeking a vote of no confidence in Sweeney hit back by insisting the RFU was using technicalities to avoid being called to account.
“The RFU can play as long as they like, but this is a mass movement of a stronger, united team,” the spokesman said.
“Thinking about rules about what is and isn't a valid complaint form is just delaying the inevitable.”
Bill Beaumont, who has since been ratified as interim chairman of the RFU Board of Directors, wrote an open letter to clubs (see full below) and the RFU confirmed in a statement on Friday that a special AGM would be held some time after the Men's Six Nations .
“The RFU is in the process of confirming the additional information that has now been submitted in order to request a special general meeting (SGM),” the statement said.
“The notice of request for an SGM contained a significant number of inaccuracies, however, the RFU respects the right of its members to call for an SGM and have their views heard.
“The date for the SGM will be announced in the next two weeks and will take place after the Guinness Men's Six Nations has finished.”
Why is Sweeney so unpopular?
The problems are wide-ranging and some date back to financial cuts during Covid.
The latest revolt was sparked by the decision to award Sweeney a £358,000 bonus this year, despite the RFU posting record operating losses of almost £40m. Meanwhile, the RFU released 42 people in September.
RFU reports published in November revealed that Sweeney received a salary of £1.1m for the 2023-24 financial year, made up of an increased salary of £742,000 and a bonus of £358,000.
Rugby Football Union chief executive Sweeney has faced calls for his sacking
Bonuses totaling almost £1m were paid out to a further five executives, although the RFU reported an operating loss of £37.9m for 2023/24, the biggest it has ever recorded.
In addition, the England men's national team have won just five of their 12 games in 2024 and participation on the ground is in decline.
Other areas of contention mentioned in the letter to the RFU are its excessive bureaucracy and mismanagement, the sacking of development officers, the “debacle” over the introduction of a new fighting height in the community game and the cost of sacking former England head coach Eddie Jones.
Eddie Jones was sacked as England manager in December 2022 after seven years in the job.
“What you are seeing is the result of years of frustration affecting every level of our game,” Chichester RFC chairman Paddy McAlpine said.
“Now it has erupted as a result of the anger felt by clubs when the executive was paid bonuses. Every club I know wants to see a change at the top.”
Meanwhile, several professional clubs in the country were liquidated in the form of Wasps, London Irish, Worcester Warriors and Jersey Reds due to financial problems.
Who is asking to be replaced?
The group consists of 10 Championship clubs from the second tier of rugby in England, various refereeing bodies, as well as clubs from the lower leagues and the board game.
Their numbers totaled 152 on Thursday night – but are said to have now risen to over 250 by the same time on Friday. They are calling for a special general meeting (SGM) and a vote of no confidence in Sweeney.
In addition to the executive bonuses awarded late last year, they also point to the following management failures:
- Excessive bureaucracy and a flawed GMS computer system which has caused a huge extra burden on the thousands of volunteers who keep rugby alive in the towns and villages of England
- Poor financial results, including a £130m loss over the last two World Cup cycles, and a backdrop of staff cuts both at Twickenham and among the ranks of development officers serving lower levels of English rugby
- The “debacle” surrounding the introduction of a new level of combat into the common game
- Poor management of the game at the highest levels of the RFU
- Money wasted on sacking England's coaching staff
Co-play is behind the rebellion for the myriad of reasons listed
What are the rules about forcing changes? Why now?
The limit for calling a general meeting is 100 clubs, so the rebels were confident that they would be able to force a vote.
Alistair Bow, chairman of Nottingham RFC, has insisted throughout that they have the necessary signings.
This has been building for some time. It's fueled by the latest exec bonuses, but it goes much further.
Championship clubs are outraged by a number of funding cuts – including those made during Covid which have never been recovered.
They also believe the Premiership is effectively walled off, with regulations in place to prevent promotion from the second tier.
At a community level, the decision to reduce the catch-all legislation in 2023, without consultation with grassroots clubs, went down very badly and remains the root of much ill-feeling.
Bow is calling for a complete overhaul of the governance structure, including halving the RFU Council from 66 to 33 members.
Are these bonuses and salaries normal in other sports bodies?
Performance bonuses are common – but the problem for many is that the bonuses did not reflect the RFU's performance.
They reported record operating losses of almost £40m – while the England men's team won less than 42 per cent of their Test matches in 2024.
What did Sweeney say?
Nothing – he has not spoken publicly since the release of the RFU's annual accounts at the end of November.
He was also absent from an emergency council meeting on December 18, where it was decided that chairman Ilube should resign over executive bonuses.
Sweeney said nothing about recent times despite the £1.1m payout for the 2023-24 financial year, which consisted of a £742,000 pay rise and a £358,000 bonus
What happens next?
The rebels will hope to gather more support and ensure that the SGM takes place in early 2025.
Otherwise, they hope the unwanted publicity will force Sweeney himself, or even the RFU Council, to make a decision about his future.
Meanwhile, Beaumont was ratified as interim chairman at Friday's council meeting, where Sweeney could face some tough questions.
Bill Beaumont's open letter to clubs in full:
Today, the Council of the RFU ratified my appointment as the interim president of the RFU Board; It is a great honor for me to take on this role and I thank the Council for its support.
I've had a busy few weeks working with the RFU Board and Council, listening to players, volunteers, officials and supporters. It's very clear from those conversations that the game wants and needs unity, and my priority is to help bring the game together.
Unity means no challenge or debate. I hear and sympathize with some of the concerns about paying for a long-term incentive plan. I want to understand how the decisions were made, and it is right that an independent review of the process has been commissioned. The audit should be allowed to take its natural course and I look forward to its results.
This is a serious moment for the game of rugby in England. There were demands for change without clarity about the real reasons why, or suggestions for an alternative vision. A call for a special general meeting (SGM) has appeared and we will respect the right of members to have their views heard.
Our sport has a long history of struggle and sometimes we lose sight of what is best for rugby as a whole. Whatever we do next has to be for the good of the English game.
We need to listen and support each other. That is why I will be touring rugby clubs across the country in January and February, so that we can debate and agree a way forward together.
We also have to think about how difficult the last few years have been. I can offer a wider context on this from my recent position as President of World Rugby. The impact that Covid, inflation and the cost of living crisis have had on the game around the world has been significant in terms of participation, confidence and finances at all levels.
Objectively, one has to ask whether English rugby was effectively managed after that. After seeing all countries struggle with the same problems, I can safely say that compared to many other countries, the RFU has come out of this period very well.
The RFU has not received any government or World Rugby loans. However, he successfully negotiated support on behalf of community clubs and made it easier for professional clubs to access government loans, which ensured that rugby received more financial support in England than any other sport.
A lot of work needs to be done to reset and come together as a united game, and I'm committed to supporting that. In the short time I have been back in this role, I have also seen that rugby in England has many positives to build on.
The RFU has committed to a program of investment in community games which will see more coaches, more resources for clubs and accessible forms of rugby introduced to thousands of schools.
We are ready to host the Women's Rugby World Cup – a generational opportunity to get more women and girls hooked on rugby. Participation in the men's game is also back close to where it was pre-Covid.
When I'm on the road, I'll be listening to your feedback and input, so sign up to join one of the sessions that will be announced in next week's community game update.
We all want to win in the England men's and women's teams, and that can't happen without a successful club game. I want us to have the unity and stability needed to achieve this. If we work together, we will succeed. If we work against each other, English rugby will not be victorious on or off the field.