‘Sweeney clearly needs to go’ – Former RFU boss slams bonus ‘disaster’ as he likens governing body to water companies

A former boss of the Rugby Football Union says he expects current chief executive Bill Sweeney to lose a no-confidence vote and follow chairman Tom Ilube out the door at Twickenham.

Grass roots fury over the payment of bumper bonuses to RFU executives despite significant financial losses, redundancies at the organisation and a poor year for the England team, shows no sign of abating.

Ilube was replaced on Friday night by Sir Bill Beaumont, pending ratification by the RFU Council. The England rugby legend agreed to take the reins as interim chairman pending the appointment of a permanent successor.

More casualties expected

Martyn Thomas, who served as RFU chairman and acting chief executive between 2005-11, says Ilube cannot be the only casualty of a saga which has left the Union open to accusations of being tone-deaf and more besides.

“Sweeney clearly needs to go, on the basis of the decisions that have been made and the expenditure that’s been involved,” said Thomas.

“I will be very surprised if the Council don’t pass a vote of no confidence in him. And if they do and his position becomes untenable, it’ll merely be how much is the cheque going to be to disappear.

“I think there has to be, unfortunately, a clear out,” added the 80-year old. “Personally, I’d ask the Council at their meeting to pass a resolution of no confidence in the chief executive to require him to go.

“I would then say, ‘Look guys, as far as the rest of the Board is concerned, I suggest we reserve judgement. We concentrate on getting the right people in place to find a CEO that can transition the union properly from the amateur game to the professional game.

“I don’t think you need to rush into it because Bill won’t actually alter anything. He’ll keep a steady hand on the tiller without making any changes.”

A fortnight ago Thomas joined two other former RFU chairmen – Graeme Cattermole and Brian Baister – in putting their names to an open letter calling for resignations in the wake of record financial losses yet bumper paydays for the top brass.

RFU chairman steps down amid salary scandal with Sir Bill Beaumont return potentially on the cards

Now for the first time he has spoken out in an individual capacity about the crisis, telling Planet Rugby this is a “low point” for the RFU.

“They had this golden opportunity when we hosted the World Cup in 2015 – and I led that bid,” he said. “The money that was made as a result of that, where has it gone?

“Down the throats of executives who paid themselves vastly more than they’re worth. It’s a disaster. They’re not living in the real world.

“It’s like the water companies. Make a cock-up then give themselves a great bonus. It doesn’t make sense. These guys should not be getting a penny in bonus. Not a penny.”

Asked if the current episode made English rugby a laughing stock, Thomas replied: “In a way yes, but England has never really been liked in world rugby.

“When I went round doing the World Cup people used to accuse us of arrogance for calling ourselves THE Rugby Football Union rather than the English Rugby Football Union.

“What’s in a name? Does it matter? But that really grates with other countries. We don’t help ourselves at times.”

Thomas does not expect the England team to be affected by this episode and says he fully supports head coach Steve Borthwick.

“I honestly don’t think it will effect the team as the playing of the international game has gradually become more and more divorced from the executive in reality,” he said.

Support for Borthwick

“We’re actually not far off the page there. I have a lot of time for Steve who I worked with when he was England captain. He is a class act. If he’s given his head and some careful guidance he’ll come good. He’s a good, honest guy.”

Thomas expects Beaumont to steer the ship to calmer waters but says he has little confidence that lessons will be learned once and for all.

“After every disaster, in all walks of life, people say ‘We’re going to learn the lessons’,” Thomas said. “History suggests that doesn’t happen.

“This situation is recoverable. I don’t think we’re a bad union. There needs to be work done and we need to get better hands on the tiller.

“But that is not to say I think the RFU will learn the lessons, even though there will be people there insisting they will and it won’t happen again.

“I suspect that if I was alive in 20 years time and we were having this conversation, I’d be saying ‘F**k me, nothing has changed’.

“The reality is that businesses and sport go through learning processes all the time. They learn a bit from it but never enough to put it right once and for all.”

Beaumont’s first move, after stepping into the breach, was to try and draw a line under the past and look to the future.

“We must now look forward,” he said. “I hope I can help to unite the game and drive forward the game of rugby in England at both an international level and in the community game.”

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