If a rebel motion to remove former Rugby Football Union executive Bill Sweeney is rejected on Thursday, interim chair Bill Beaumont warned that the organization would fall into months of “rancour and disruption.”
A group of clubs, led by those competing in the second-tier Championship, have forced a decision regarding Sweeney’s leadership.
They claim that the organization has lost touch with the grassroots game, citing Sweeney’s salary, which has significantly increased as a result of a pay raise and bonus program in the wake of the RFU’s record-setting losses.
A rival motion from the RFU promises to decentralize decision-making and rebuild club funding and support in the region.
Former England captain Beaumont accused those trying to remove Sweeney of running a campaign that had been, at times, “deeply regrettable, with demonstrably deceptive claims, especially around the game’s finances.”
“All of this playing out publicly has detracted from so many of the brilliant things happening in English rugby, including the strong men’s Six Nations performances, the focus on our Red Roses, who are building a home World Cup,” he continued.
However, RFU executives bear the brunt of the blame for the upheaval, according to Whole Game Union, who has organized the rebellion.
The game’s hostility and disruption was only brought on by their indolence and unwillingness to consider and address the issues that participants, club members, and referees’ organizations have raised over the course of several years, the statement said.
Additionally, it revealed that it has suggested structural changes to the RFU’s membership, which consists of 1,200 clubs and stakeholders, to give the organization’s wider membership more control over key decisions and leaders.
The changes would require a 66% majority to pass at the RFU’s annual general meeting in the summer.
If they were to be rejected, the RFU’s remodelled structure would conflict with the standards set by funding organizations Sport England and UK Sport, which support rugby union and the staging of major events.
As Billy Horschel’s golf ball disappeared into the hole, the American celebrated by sprinting, leaping, swearing and chucking his club.
It was an electrifying and animated move that became the signature moment of TGL’s debut season.
That downhill, snaking and ultimately successful putt helped land Horschel and his Atlanta Drive team-mates Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas victory against the franchise known as New York Golf Club.
This was in the second of the best of three final series. The victors came from 3-0 down (a point is awarded for each hole won) to triumph 4-3 to take an unassailable 2-0 position.
Such a dramatic finish was exactly what the Tech-infused Golf League needed – the sort of climax envisaged by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy when they bought into the idea of a raucous indoor simulator version of the game.
The decisive putt, which involved a number of dramatic breaks, could be seen as a metaphor for an opening season that was far from straightforward.
There were technical glitches, blowout matches, necessary rule changes and a mixture of reactions from golf fans. But somehow the TGL eventually hit its target.
Played largely on Monday and Tuesday evenings, this was all about attracting viewers. It began promisingly with more than 900,000 in the US tuning in for the initial match in January, but audiences tapered off to eventually average around the half-million mark.
The early contests lacked a competitive edge. The players seemed to struggle with the concept – there was an awkwardness between a competition worth $21m in prize money and an environment that made it seem a hit-and-giggle event.
In one match Woods misunderstood a distance instruction by 100 yards and laughed it off. Imagine that in a tour event. It wouldn’t happen. TGL’s competitive credibility undoubtedly took a hit with that moment.
The tactic of playing the ‘hammer’ to make a hole worth double points did not work initially but became a more effective tool once the rules were adjusted to allow for three ‘hammers’.
This dimension ultimately became a crucial factor in deciding the title and brought a welcome edge to proceedings.
TGL created the sort of buzz that has been the target of the breakaway LIV tour. The Saudi-based circuit, now in its fourth season, has only enjoyed limited success in that regard – most notably with their Adelaide tournament.
Horschel’s histrionics were straight out of the LIV playbook but did not seem out of place once TGL reached its play-off stage. The unalterably dead-pan Cantlay was a constant reminder that there was underlying serious business afoot.
It was Cantlay’s chip against Cameron Young one hole after Horschel’s dramatic putt that sealed Atlanta Drive’s victory.
“It would be great for golf if this were to succeed,” LIV’s Phil Mickelson observed on social media.
“The golf fan is the most loyal fan in sports – buy a ticket, walk miles and see a fraction of the action. But this could allow the golf fan to buy a ticket, sit down and watch all of the action just like other sports.
LIV players are not currently eligible for TGL because it is backed by the PGA Tour. That could change if a deal is done between the two rival tours and LIV’s Brooks Koepka attended the match between Jupiter and The Bay on 25 February.
The start of the first of the two deciding matches on Monday was delayed by an overrunning Women’s NCAA basketball game on ESPN2, which tells us of TGL’s standing in the bigger sporting picture.
Nevertheless, it will return. Investment is deep for a project that boasts 11 of the world’s top 15 golfers. The 1500 seat 250,000 square feet Sofi Centre venue on the Palm Beach State College campus cost $50m to build.
And there are already thoughts of adding a second venue on America’s west coast, although that would likely be years down the line.
“We’re in the middle of an expansion process now,” said Mike McCarley, the TMRW executive who co-founded the project with Woods and McIlroy.
“When exactly we make that decision – there’s no timeline on it necessarily,” McCarley added to the Palm Beach Post.
“We’ve had potential expansion team owners at every single match this season coming to visit us. Some of them, multiple times. Some of them have a lot of questions, a lot of feedback.”
TGL already has the backing of leading American sports investors, who are behind the six teams that competed.
They include the Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank (Atlanta Drive), John Henry and the Fenway Sports Group (Boston Common), New York Mets owner Steve Cohen (New York Golf Club), former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry (The Bay Golf Club) and David Blitzer, who joined Woods’ group that owns Jupiter Links.
“We really like those team owners that are operators of other sports teams and other professional leagues in their communities,” McCarley said.
“But we got a lot of really interesting diverse people domestically and internationally. They can kind of take a look and see what it looks like going forward.”
Former tennis great Serena Williams is co-owner of the Los Angeles team and her involvement prompts consideration over whether TGL missed a trick by not including some of the LPGA’s top stars, such as Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko.
Like LIV, TGL may struggle to win over traditional die-hard golf fans with its raucous environment, which is in stark contrast to the more genteel way golf is usually played.
But the new league was not brought in for the benefit of that constituency. It is there to broaden golf’s base.
Significantly, the players seem to have enjoyed it and deem it worth incorporating into their early season schedules.
“Obviously it is a little bit of a challenge with everything we’ve got going through the year with our own schedules, but I don’t think anyone has ever walked away and said ‘this felt like a burden’,” Horschel stated after collecting his share of the $9m winners’ spoils.
“I could never imagine what this was going to be,” the reigning BMW PGA champion added. “I remember coming into the arena in November and walking out and I was just in awe. I couldn’t imagine what I was seeing.
“I described it like a football player walking into Mercedes-Benz Stadium right about to play, a basketball player walking out – Steph Curry walking out at Oracle Arena, stuff like that.
The Duchess of Edinburgh addressed politicians at a summit in Brussels today to describe the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and sent a message to tech companies demanding urgent action
The Duchess of Edinburgh addresses a summit on online child sexual abuse(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
The Duchess of Edinburgh last night called for tougher action to combat online child sexual abuse. Sophie, 60, described the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and the need for tech companies to act “urgently” to curb the risk.
Addressing European politicians at a summit in Brussels, Belgium, she added: “Today, children everywhere in the world are not only falling victim to adults wishing to groom them but are exposed to an enormous amount of dangerous, harmful and inappropriate content including material on suicide, self harm, eating disorders, violence and pornography — all with consequences that can prove devastating. In the UK, the introduction of the Online Safety Act in 2023 placed new duties on social media companies to protect users, particularly children, against harmful content. But neither the UK’s government nor that of any one country can do it alone.
Article continues below
Sophie addressed European politicians at a summit in Brussels(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
“Technology companies are in a uniquely powerful position to promote positive change in developing services that are safe by design and proactive in addressing online harm [with] safety features built in at the outset.“It will take a collective effort by all, including governments, technology companies, regulators, legislators, civil society and law enforcement to make it happen.“We must also listen to the young people themselves who I know are keen to be the architects of their futures. By understanding how and why they interact online and amongst their community, it will help shape our responses.”Directly addressing the audience, she continued: “It is in your hands, as the task of the utmost and urgent importance, because the lives and future of millions of children around the world will be affected by what you decide or what you decide not to do. “Therefore I implore you now, on behalf of the children of today and tomorrow, to redouble your efforts so that they are empowered to learn, to play, to grow and to thrive in our world.” Sophie attended the event, held by the European Parliament, in her role as patron for children’s charities the NSPCC and Plan International UK.
Sophie was joined at the event by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
She was joined by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, who told a panel of abuse victims and representatives from the European Commission: “I’m very very sad to say that in the last 20 years, I have seen the situation with child abuse worsen.
“In the UK, it is estimated that up to 840,000 adults pose a sexual risk to children and 7.5 per cent of children will have been sexually abused by the time they are 16 years old.“These statistics are very important for us to understand the scale and nature of child sexual exploitation and abuse. And as the Duchess of Edinburgh pointed out – we forget every single report is a child – these are real children’s lives and they are being abused in the most horrific ways.”The joint visit comes after an alarming probe by the Internet Watch Foundation found over 300,000 web pages containing X-rated images and videos of minors in 2024 – the worst year on record. Category A images – considered the most serious abuse material – rocketed by 22 per cent in the same period.Victims of child sexual exploitation are typically targeted in their own homes by offenders across the globe. Many are blackmailed into sending images of themselves, tragically resulting in some taking their own lives. More than 7,000 Sexual Communication with a Child offences were recorded by police last year alone – up 89 per cent since 2017.
The NSPCC’s CEO Chris Sherwood, who also attended the gathering, said: “There has never been a more important time for international leaders to be working in tandem to tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation.“We desperately need this unity of purpose and action to take place on a global scale, as we know offenders can be causing harm from anywhere in the world. Every single day our Childline service hears from children and young people across the UK about the devastating impact grooming, sharing of sexual abuse material, harmful content and blackmail can have on their lives.
“And we know the problem is only growing, particularly with the rapid expansion of generative AI which is giving offender communities new way to abuse large numbers of victims with ease. Robust enforcement of the UK’s Online Safety Act is vital, but to tackle the scale of the challenge we face we also need political leadership on the global stage.
“At the same time there must be collective scrutiny of the platforms and sites who, for too long, have let children be harmed under their watch and evaded accountability. We all – governments, regulators and civil society – have a role to play in keeping children safe online and we must work together to make it a reality.”
Article continues below
The Online Safety Act’s illegal codes of conduct came into effect last week, requiring platforms to proactively tackle illegal content including extreme pornography, child sexual abuse and terror-related material. At the start of the year, the government vowed to make new laws to tackle AI-generated child sexual abuse online images – a growing crime. If green-lit, we will become the first country in the world to make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse and to possess AI ‘paedophile manuals’ which teach people how to use the tech to sexually abuse youngsters.
The Duchess of Edinburgh addressed politicians at a summit in Brussels today to describe the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and sent a message to tech companies demanding urgent action
The Duchess of Edinburgh addresses a summit on online child sexual abuse(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
The Duchess of Edinburgh last night called for tougher action to combat online child sexual abuse. Sophie, 60, described the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and the need for tech companies to act “urgently” to curb the risk.
Addressing European politicians at a summit in Brussels, Belgium, she added: “Today, children everywhere in the world are not only falling victim to adults wishing to groom them but are exposed to an enormous amount of dangerous, harmful and inappropriate content including material on suicide, self harm, eating disorders, violence and pornography — all with consequences that can prove devastating. In the UK, the introduction of the Online Safety Act in 2023 placed new duties on social media companies to protect users, particularly children, against harmful content. But neither the UK’s government nor that of any one country can do it alone.
Article continues below
Sophie addressed European politicians at a summit in Brussels(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
“Technology companies are in a uniquely powerful position to promote positive change in developing services that are safe by design and proactive in addressing online harm [with] safety features built in at the outset.“It will take a collective effort by all, including governments, technology companies, regulators, legislators, civil society and law enforcement to make it happen.“We must also listen to the young people themselves who I know are keen to be the architects of their futures. By understanding how and why they interact online and amongst their community, it will help shape our responses.”Directly addressing the audience, she continued: “It is in your hands, as the task of the utmost and urgent importance, because the lives and future of millions of children around the world will be affected by what you decide or what you decide not to do. “Therefore I implore you now, on behalf of the children of today and tomorrow, to redouble your efforts so that they are empowered to learn, to play, to grow and to thrive in our world.” Sophie attended the event, held by the European Parliament, in her role as patron for children’s charities the NSPCC and Plan International UK.
Sophie was joined at the event by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
She was joined by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, who told a panel of abuse victims and representatives from the European Commission: “I’m very very sad to say that in the last 20 years, I have seen the situation with child abuse worsen.
“In the UK, it is estimated that up to 840,000 adults pose a sexual risk to children and 7.5 per cent of children will have been sexually abused by the time they are 16 years old.“These statistics are very important for us to understand the scale and nature of child sexual exploitation and abuse. And as the Duchess of Edinburgh pointed out – we forget every single report is a child – these are real children’s lives and they are being abused in the most horrific ways.”The joint visit comes after an alarming probe by the Internet Watch Foundation found over 300,000 web pages containing X-rated images and videos of minors in 2024 – the worst year on record. Category A images – considered the most serious abuse material – rocketed by 22 per cent in the same period.Victims of child sexual exploitation are typically targeted in their own homes by offenders across the globe. Many are blackmailed into sending images of themselves, tragically resulting in some taking their own lives. More than 7,000 Sexual Communication with a Child offences were recorded by police last year alone – up 89 per cent since 2017.
The NSPCC’s CEO Chris Sherwood, who also attended the gathering, said: “There has never been a more important time for international leaders to be working in tandem to tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation.“We desperately need this unity of purpose and action to take place on a global scale, as we know offenders can be causing harm from anywhere in the world. Every single day our Childline service hears from children and young people across the UK about the devastating impact grooming, sharing of sexual abuse material, harmful content and blackmail can have on their lives.
“And we know the problem is only growing, particularly with the rapid expansion of generative AI which is giving offender communities new way to abuse large numbers of victims with ease. Robust enforcement of the UK’s Online Safety Act is vital, but to tackle the scale of the challenge we face we also need political leadership on the global stage.
“At the same time there must be collective scrutiny of the platforms and sites who, for too long, have let children be harmed under their watch and evaded accountability. We all – governments, regulators and civil society – have a role to play in keeping children safe online and we must work together to make it a reality.”
Article continues below
The Online Safety Act’s illegal codes of conduct came into effect last week, requiring platforms to proactively tackle illegal content including extreme pornography, child sexual abuse and terror-related material. At the start of the year, the government vowed to make new laws to tackle AI-generated child sexual abuse online images – a growing crime. If green-lit, we will become the first country in the world to make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse and to possess AI ‘paedophile manuals’ which teach people how to use the tech to sexually abuse youngsters.
Prince George is a huge fan of the show, according to Prince William who visited two young farmers at a Somerset event today and ran into the Clarkson’s Farm stars, Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland.
Young farmers meet with Prince William.
Prince William is set to appear on an episode of Clarkson’s Farm after meeting star Kaleb Cooper to discuss mental health within the farming community. The Prince of Wales, 42, shared wisecracks with Kaleb and co-star Charlie Ireland and revealed son Prince George is even a fan of the Amazon Prime show.
William took part in an event for sixty of the Duchy of Cornwall’s next generation of farming tenants at Folly Farm, in Somerset. And he also joined a panel chat hosted by television star and presenter Vick Hope which is set to appear on a future episode of BBC’s Countryfile.
Continue reading the article.
Prince William with Clarkson’s Farm stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland(Image: PA)
The 26-year-old telly star made a joke about Kaleb’s “great hair” to his royal visitor as he met him. Williams inquired if the farmer celeb was sporting a clean shirt while Williams laughed and joked back. And William responded, “Are they the cleanest boots you’ve got?” when Kaleb pointed out his.
Kaleb has frequently addressed young farmers’ mental health issues. For a day of talks and activities for young farmers, he accompanied Clarkson’s Farm Land Agent Charlie Ireland.
However, William continued, “George is watching now.” What should I say if I meet Kaleb, I asked him. Tell Kaleb to think about his language, he said. Wills and Sam and Emily Stables of the charity We Are Farming Minds also convened a panel discussion, Vick Hope, the presenter of Countryfile, and Vick Hope. In an interview with Radio One, the prince claimed that their last encounter was in Birmingham.
Vick responded, “Yes, it was, and you mentioned that the aubergine emoji was your favorite.” Gills laughed back, “Not sure if that’s the current situation, but it did.”
William chats to young farmers as he was announced as the new Patron of We Are Farming Minds(Image: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
The Duke of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, and We Are Farming Minds, a charity that aims to promote the mental health of Duchy farmers, have been named as new patrons. He told the panel that “removing the taboo” around mental health in the farming industry is still a work in progress.
He said, “We can do more to support farmers and discuss mental health.” Williams has spoken extensively about mental health issues and said, “I never realized what I’d stumbled into when I scratched the surface. Mental health is a delicate subject that needs to be addressed. Vick Hope inquired about what was in his “toolbox,” which he said was used to deal with stress and mental health issues. “My toolbox is quite large.
He continued, “You have to have certain tools in your farm, and you have a tool box that is a mental toolbox, to deal with any problems that arise in life.” Find someone who can give you that tool if you don’t already have it.
William laughs during a panel talk with Countryfile presenter Vick Hope (Image: PA)
“Don’t be afraid to ask for a bit of help. For me breaking work life balance, breaking the cycle where you can. I know in farming world you life, sleep, breath, everything, but try and find away to come away from it, otherwise you’ll find yourself talking about the same thing that bother you on a day to day basis. And it goes round in circles.”
Kaleb has made a statement about how significant mental health is in farming. And stated to William, “Most 20-year-olds go to clubs and pubs, but young farmers are stuck on their tractors, which is great, but they are not talking to anyone.”
He informed William that he receives about 250 calls each day “chatting away” with other young farmers who are working on their own fields. Afterward, he stated in a statement that Prince George enjoyed watching Clarkson’s Farm. He continued, “It’s family TV, and I do get verbally offended and I try to stop.”
William’s efforts to promote mental health in family settings were described as “the more people that shout about it the better.” It’s irrelevant who you are, but it’s great to have a Royal standing and pushing this.
Continue reading the article.
Charlie Ireland once said, “You don’t need to be in farming to understand that there is a problem, and that’s what he’s highlighting, which is fantastic. Additionally, there were workshops for Duchy farmers of the future, children whose families will inherit, and mental health support advice. Williams also witnessed young farmers playing tug-of-war. His visit is scheduled to appear in Clarkson’s Farm series 4 from the beginning of May, as well as an upcoming Countryfile episode.
Prince William joined young farmers at an event in Somerset today and ran into the stars of Clarkson’s Farm – Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland – revealing that Prince George is a huge fan of the show
Prince William meets with young farmers
Prince William is set to appear on an episode of Clarkson’s Farm after meeting star Kaleb Cooper to discuss mental health within the farming community. The Prince of Wales, 42, shared wisecracks with Kaleb and co-star Charlie Ireland and revealed son Prince George is even a fan of the Amazon Prime show.
William took part in an event for sixty of the Duchy of Cornwall’s next generation of farming tenants at Folly Farm, in Somerset. And he also joined a panel chat hosted by television star and presenter Vick Hope which is set to appear on a future episode of BBC’s Countryfile.
Article continues below
Prince William with Clarkson’s Farm stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland(Image: PA)
As he met Kaleb, 26, the telly star joked to his royal visitor: “Great hair.” William laughed and joked back asking if the farmer celeb was wearing a clean shirt. And when Kaleb pointed out his boots, William said: “Are they the cleanest ones you’ve got?”
Kaleb has passionately spoken out in the past about mental health challenges for young farmers. He joined Clarkson’s Farm land agent Charlie Ireland for the day of talks and activities for young farmers.
But William told the pair: “You’ve got George watching now. I said to him ‘what shall I say if I meet Kaleb?’ He said ‘tell Kaleb to mind his language.” William also met Vick Hope, presenter of Countryfile, and hosted a panel with Wills and Sam and Emily Stables of charity We are Farming Minds. The prince pointed out the last time they met was in Birmingham during an interview with Radio One.
Vick said: “Yes it was, you mentioned the aubergine emoji was your favourite.” Wills replied laughing: “It felt like the right environment to to do it, not sure maybe today.
William chats to young farmers as he was announced as the new Patron of We Are Farming Minds(Image: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
The Prince of Wales, who is also the Duke of Cornwall, was announced as the new Patron of We Are Farming Minds which aims to improve the mental health of Duchy farmers. Speaking to the panel he said ridding the “taboo” around mental health in the farming community is a “work in progress”.
He said ” we can do more” to support farmers and speak about mental health. William is a keen advocate and has spoken about mental health issues for several years and added: “I never realised what I’d stumbled into when I scratched the surface. The issue of mental health is fragile and not spoken about enough.” Asked by Vick Hope what was in his “toolkit” used to cope with mental health issues and stress, he replied: “My toolbox is quite big.”
He added: “If you imagine all of the tools you have in a farm, have a tool box that is a mental toolbox and in their you have to have certain tools to deal with any problems that come along in life. If you don’t have that tool, find someone who can provide you with that tool.
William laughs during a panel talk with Countryfile presenter Vick Hope (Image: PA)
“Don’t be afraid to ask for a bit of help. For me breaking work life balance, breaking the cycle where you can. I know in farming world you life, sleep, breath, everything, but try and find away to come away from it, otherwise you’ll find yourself talking about the same thing that bother you on a day to day basis. And it goes round in circles.”
Kaleb has spoken out about the importance of mental health in the farming community.And told William: “Most 20-year-olds are going to clubs and pubs but young farmers are stuck on their tractors, which is great, but they are not talking to anyone.”
He told William that he has around 250 phone calls a day “chatting away” with other young farmers while they are working on fields alone.Speaking afterwards he said it was “great” that Prince George watches Clarkson’s Farm. He added: “It’s family TV and I do get told off for swearing and I try to stop.”
Speaking about William’s efforts to help mental health in family communities, he said: “The more people that shout about it the better. It doesn’t matter who you are but it’s great to have a Royal standing with us and pushing this.”
Article continues below
Charlie Ireland said: “You don’t have to be in farming to understand that there is a problem and that is what he is highlighting, which is fantastic.” The fun day also held workshops for next generation Duchy farmers, youngsters who will inherit from their families and advice in mental health support. William also watched young farmers take part in a tug-of-war. His visit is expected to feature in Clarkson’s Farm series 4 next year and an upcoming Countryfile episode in May.
