Bill Sweeney insists he is the ‘right man’ to stay in charge at the RFU despite FOUR clubs going bust during a year of turmoil for the sport’s governing body

• Bill Sweeney defended his position as CEO of England rugby’s governing body
• Sweeney has come under fire after a year of turmoil in the domestic game
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Bill Sweeney last night insisted that he remains the right man to stay in charge at the RFU, despite a year of turmoil which has seen four clubs go bust, leading to an internal rebellion at the union.

The chief executive of English rugby’s governing body defended his position, having come in for fierce criticism as a result of so much upheaval in the domestic game. After declaring that the sudden collapse of Championship winners Jersey – who followed Worcester, Wasps and London Irish in going out of business – caught the RFU by surprise, Sweeney voiced his desire to stay in his post and oversee a turn-around.

‘It’s probably for others to say if they don’t feel I am the right person to do it,’ he said. ‘I personally feel I am, given my experience, my background, my balance of business and sport. I feel I am the right person to do that.

‘I came into this role for one simple reason; because I’m very passionate about this game. There are probably a large number of my friends and family who would be quite happy if I didn’t do it any longer. But I do believe that we are on the cusp of something quite spectacular. I feel that I have the energy, passion and desire to see this through.’

Bill Sweeney insists that he remains the right man to stay in charge at the Rugby Football Union

Last season’s Championship winners Jersey Reds have ceased trading due to their financial struggles

On the eve of England’s World Cup opener against Argentina last month, 30 members of the RFU council – representing the grass-roots game – put their names to a document which amounted to a motion of no confidence in the union hierarchy. But Sweeney took aim at figures behind the rebellion, which he claimed has now been quelled.

‘We’ve been dealing with a small group of people who are no longer in the game or have agendas that are not necessarily in the best interests of the game,’ he said. ‘We found receipt of a resolution on the night before the Argentina game – when there was some hope and maybe expectation that we might lose, therefore creating additional pressure – was pretty cynical and did not have the best interests at heart.

‘It was not accurate. We discussed it at council on Friday and that resolution was withdrawn. The vast majority of council are really keen to work with us in a more open and transparent way.’

When pushed on the perception of stark divisions within the union, Sweeney added: ‘I don’t think it is as fractured as you might want to believe. There has been a history in the RFU of moments of fracture, but we had a really productive meeting with council on Friday. The resolution around governance and operating control was withdrawn and there was a commitment to unite and bring the union closer together, to face and deal with the significant challenges the game has.

‘The majority of those council members are committed and give up a huge amount of their time for the game. I would say we are well on the way to making sure that some of those fractures which were perhaps released on the night before the Argentina game are being addressed.’

Sweeney confirmed that plans are being finalised for a system of ‘hybrid contracts’, allowing England head coach Steve Borthwick greater control over 25 leading players. This is part of a broader attempt to re-shape the English rugby landscape with a new club-country agreement. There was a frank admission from the most senior official in the sport in this country that it has been badly run for far too long.

London Wasps’ licence to feature in the Championship has been revoked by the RFU

Former Premiership side London Irish were also sent to the wall due to financial failings

Crisis-ridden Worcester Warriors were suspended from all competitions as well

‘We need to fix a number of issues that have been broken for some time,’ he said. ‘We have won four Six Nations and one World Cup in twenty years. That is not what you would expect from us as an organisation. Regardless of what happens at this year’s World Cup, wherever we end up, the system has to change.

‘Throughout that period, we have had successive management teams in place and fundamental issues have not been addressed. That’s what we are focused on doing. This is a unique moment; an opportunity in time to get that done in collaboration with the professional game.

‘There is something to be said for stability, clarity and direction. I don’t know how many CEOs we’ve had in the RFU since 2003, but I’m guessing it is five, six or seven. I am not sure any head coach has left willingly. I am pretty sure every head coach over that period has been fired. If you compare that to the Ireland model or the New Zealand model, it is entirely different.

‘There is a continuity, there is a stability, a clarity of direction which eventually shows up on the field of play, as much as it does off (the field of play), and that is something we are very keen to address. The opportunity around the professional game partnership is to bring the elite game together to make sure we can thrive and to make sure we have consistently competitive teams and we don’t have boom and bust periods when it is more based on hope.’

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