A Senedd Committee has called on rugby clubs in Wales to vote in favour of reforms this weekend with many signalling their support – including Bargoed, Bedwas and Caerphilly.
The vote is set to take place at the Extraordinary General Meeting in Port Talbot on Sunday March 26.
The meeting will include a vote on motions to increase the number of appointed independent representatives (INEDs) from three to six.
There are also moves to make the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) board more diverse – with at least five of 12 directors to be women.
This comes after the WRU faced allegations of a “toxic culture” in a BBC documentary in January, which resulted in the eventual resignation of chief executive, Steve Phillips.
Ahead of the WRU Extraordinary General Meeting this weekend, the Senedd Communications, Culture, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations committee is urging rugby clubs to vote for reform and to modernise its governance arrangements.
What is the WRU proposing?
• The proposals will increase the number of independent representatives (INEDs), who are appointed rather than elected, from three to six
• There will be a reduction in the number – from eight to four – of elected national or district members from the WRU Council on the Board (one of these positions will still be automatically occupied by the Community Game Board chair)
• All proposals have been unanimously pre-approved by the existing board and are understood to meet stakeholder (including Welsh Government) expectations for governance change at the WRU
• The WRU Board works with the Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which is a sub-board of the WRU’s board of directors with responsibility for delivering the strategy for professional rugby union in Wales. The PRB also provides a Board member as the chair (an INED on appointment) of this organisation also sits on the WRU Board
• Members of the WRU Council form the Community Game Board (CGB) and also provide (currently eight, to be reduced to four) directors to the WRU Board, meaning administration of the community game remains unchanged
Source: wru.wales
A statement issued by the committee reads: “The BBC Wales Investigates documentary about misogyny, homophobia and racism in the WRU was upsetting and difficult to watch.
“It is deplorable that the only way the individuals who were involved could be taken seriously by the WRU was by waiving their anonymity and raising their concerns publicly. We thank them for their bravery and we thank the journalists involved for shining a light on this.
“This weekend, the WRU will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider proposals to modernise its governance arrangements and to address the gender imbalance in its structures. Similar proposals have been considered before but fell short of the 75% threshold of votes needed.
“This is a final opportunity for the WRU to modernise. If these proposals are rejected, it has nowhere left to go.
“It has been sad and damaging to see an organisation of such significance in Welsh public life brought so low. The WRU must now demonstrate to the people of Wales that it wants to be a modern and inclusive organisation. It must grasp the opportunity before the damage that has been done is irrecoverable.”
There are 282 rugby clubs and organisations which are set to vote on the issues this Sunday.
In a statement, Bargoed RFC said: “The Bargoed RFC Management Committee would like to inform our members and stakeholders that after a recent meeting, it has been agreed that the club will be supporting the proposal for governance change at the WRU EGM on Sunday March 26.
“The club recognise the need for change and are committed to supporting this. We believe that there should be increased diversity and skills on the board, in order to grow both the community and the professional game. This will enable us to achieve long term success on and off the field.
“We will be represented at the EGM on Sunday and will vote in favour of the proposal.”
The EGM will take place on Sunday March 26 in Port Talbot at the Princess Royal Theatre at 11am.
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