Clubs break cover ahead of a crucial To back changes day for Welsh rugby
THE Welsh Rugby Union’s proposed governance changes have been openly backed by over 40 member clubs ahead of tomorrow’s extraordinary general meeting.
Many clubs have taken to Twitter to throw their weight behind proposals which will radically change the way the game in Wales is governed.
At the EGM in Port Talbot clubs will vote on a motion which includes an increase the number of independent representatives (INEDs), who are appointed rather than elected, from three to six.
There will also be a reduction in the number of elected national or district members on the board from eight to four, with one of those positions still automatically occupied by the Community Game Board chair.
In order for this motion to pass 75% of all member clubs need to vote in favour.
Ben Seymour has been chairman of Resolven RFC for 16 years and he feels an overhaul of the way the game is governed is vitally important.
“In my eyes at the very top you need professionals to run a £100million business and as far as I’m concerned they should get the best they can get to run it especially on the finance side,” he said.
“I run the rugby in Resolven but at the end of the day I’m not qualified to make decisions like where you put your finances and how to make more money.
“I’ve got my own ideas of course, but if you had professionals in there they’d do a lot better job than I would.
“A lot of people at the top are voted in by their friends. Currently, it’s not about your capability but who you know.
“With any business it’s about the finances so you need professionals to run that.”
Barry RFC are one club who have already voted in favour of the motion by Proxy and their chairman Jon Venners is adamant there needs to be more diversity of skillsets at the top of the WRU.
“We are in full support of the changes proposed,” he said. “Through the discussions we’ve had we feel the current board have taken the WRU as far as they can, and that radical changes need to be made.
“Our view is the board need to be a more diverse group of people with proven business acumen.
“It needs people with a proven track record who have been high achievers elsewhere, and have business acumen to take the WRU and community clubs forward.
“The majority of people on the current board are of similar backgrounds. You need the right people with the right tools to do the right job. Currently, I don’t feel we have that.”
While the proposals will change the way the game is governed, allegations of sexism and misogyny within the WRU has brought the treatment of women in Welsh rugby into sharp focus.
Should the motion pass the WRU board will consist of the chief executive and independent chair along with four independent non-exec directors, the chair of the Professional Rugby Board, a representative for the women’s game, and four national and district council members including chair of the Community Game Board.
It is also the WRU’s aspiration that at least five of the 12 directors should be female.
Resolven RFC chairman Seymour admits he was horrified when he watched the well publicised BBC investigation programme about the WRU, saying: “If it has gone on to the level that was put forward on the TV then it’s disgusting.
“I was a manager in a big company and if I spoke to women in a similar way to the WRU allegations then I’d have been sacked even though I was the manager.
“It should be the same principles with the WRU. At the end of the day the day if things like “I want to take you upstairs and rape you are said” then come on, you can’t talk to people like that.
“The clubs don’t want to be associated with anything like that because the WRU represent all the clubs.
“If that allegation is proved correct actions should be taken against the individuals involved and the clubs want to see action taken.”
To their credit the WRU have put a lot of effort into improving the women’s game over the last two years, with a large number of players on professional contracts, but there remains a lot of work to do.
Barry RFC chairman Venners wants to see the WRU invest even more time and effort into the women’s game to help it grow.
“Let’s face it that BBC documentary was dire,” he said.
“I’m a retired police officer and I worked at the Metropolitan Police which is making my hair curl at the moment.
“When you hear that rhetoric which comes out then a root and branch review needs to be taken all the way through Welsh rugby.
“We’ve supported female rugby
which I feel is vitally important.”
Barry RFC and Resolven RFC have urged other clubs to vote for the proposals being put forward and insist it will greatly benefit the community game.
“We are trying to run our club like a mini business,” said Venners. “I know there are 30 odd clubs out in community rugby who are looking at going to the wall which is desperately sad, but we are not.
“It costs us £10,000 a month to run this club with the current costs having gone up.
“It costs £120,000 a year to run this club and the funding we get from the WRU is around £15,000.
“So where do we find the money? By managing our club professionally and correctly.
“Clubs in the Cardiff area are different to the Valleys because they are the central hub of their communities.
“As I said earlier if we can get better governance in place at the top of the WRU with a more diverse skillset them I’m very confident this will really benefit the community clubs, and we can all have a vibrant future.”
Seymour holds a similar view to Venners and believes the community clubs will be better off with the proposed structure.
“I went to the AGM meeting last October and while I was sitting there listening to the questions being asked I just couldn’t believe what people were asking,” he said.
“For example, the chairman did a presentation which was very good where he went through all the finances.
“He outlined how they were making money and where it was all going whether it be through tickets or the new hotel where they are making over £5million profit.
“They said that £5million then goes towards the rugby to spread it out.
“You had guys asking daft questions afterwards like why did you buy the hotel?
“There were about four or five asking the same questions and I was thinking I can’t believe these guys (the clubs) are running Welsh rugby overall.
“That’s when the penny dropped for me.”
List of WRU member clubs who have openly revealed their intention to vote yes at the EGM Llantwit Fardre RFC; Rhyl RFC; Mountain Ash RFC; St Peter’s RFC; Penlan RFC; Dunvant RFC; Beddau RFC; Barry RFC; Maesteg Celtic RFC;
Swansea RFC; Bedwas RFC; Ystalyfera RFC; Wrexham RFC; Dinas Powys RFC; St Albans RFC; Llandaff RFC; Pyle RFC; Banwen RFC; Tycroes RFC; Pontarddulais RFC; Old Illtydians RFC; Amman United RFC; Skewen RFC; Ogmore Vale RFC; Whitehead RFC; Brynaman RFC; Pontycymmer RFC; Resolven RFC; Carmarthen Quins RFC; Cefneithin RFC; Newport RFC; Newport Saracens RFC; Nantymoel RFC; Llangefni RFC; Ystradgynlais RFC; Crynant RFC; Ystrad Rhondda RFC; Caernarfon RFC; Lampeter Town RFC; Narberth RFC; Bargoed RFC; Tonna RFC; Llandybie
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