Category News

The forthcoming vote on chief executive Bill Sweeney’s future may only be the first in a series of moves to dismantle the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) hierarchy, say grassroots rebels.

A motion to sack Sweeney “as soon as practicably possible” can be voted on by the RFU’s 1, 200 clubs and other stakeholders from Thursday, although the result will come after a summit meeting on 27 March.

However, Paddy McAlpine, co-chair of the Whole Game Union group which coordinated the coup against Sweeney, believes English rugby union’s civil war may not be settled by the outcome.

“There is a growing number of clubs saying that the leadership at the moment is not adequate for the game in England”, McAlpine told BBC Sport.

“We are not going to go away. There will be another SGM]special general meeting], then another, and another one after that because what we want is continuous improvement and the opportunity to rebuild rugby in England – the governance, structure and funding – for the entire game.

” Not just the Premiership, not just the Championship, not just the professional level, but all the way through to grassroots rugby. “

The RFU has tabled a rival motion for March’s SGM, encouraging clubs to back its own plans to devolve power to the local level instead.

Interim chair Sir Bill Beaumont, along with Sweeney, has been touring the country in the past two months to gather support and has warned that a change of leadership risks” sending the Union into paralysis”.

The Whole Game Union failed in a late bid to include a third motion, calling for the removal of the RFU board, which has so far backed Sweeney and will ultimately decide whether to dismiss him, should a majority vote against the chief executive.

McAlpine is also chairman of Sussex club Chichester, who play in level six of the English pyramid system.

He says his club provides 40, 000 hours of youth rugby to local children, but their efforts have been hindered by cutting the network of regional rugby development officers while bonuses have been paid to RFU executives.

” Clubs now understand they have a voice, because of what has happened in the last couple of months, “he said”. Everyone is starting to understand that they just don’t have to accept that is is really difficult at grassroots rugby to provide the sport and keep it going. “

The SGM was triggered after more than 100 clubs signed a petition to debate Sweeney’s future. The mechanism is rarely used, with RFU members usually using the organisation’s annual general meeting each summer to air concerns.

The RFU is hiring rugby development officers after job losses forced by the Covid-19 pandemic, with 90 staff” regionally deployed “and 40 of 100 planned school rugby manager posts filled.

Sweeney and other RFU executives took voluntary pay cuts during the pandemic, and the bonus scheme put in place to retain them longer term was deemed” appropriate in light of the goals it sought to achieve “by an independent review.

The forthcoming vote on chief executive Bill Sweeney’s future may only be the first in a series of moves to dismantle the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) hierarchy, say grassroots rebels.

A motion to sack Sweeney “as soon as practicably possible” can be voted on by the RFU’s 1, 200 clubs and other stakeholders from Thursday, although the result will come after a summit meeting on 27 March.

However, Paddy McAlpine, co-chair of the Whole Game Union group which coordinated the coup against Sweeney, believes English rugby union’s civil war may not be settled by the outcome.

“There is a growing number of clubs saying that the leadership at the moment is not adequate for the game in England”, McAlpine told BBC Sport.

“We are not going to go away. There will be another SGM]special general meeting], then another, and another one after that because what we want is continuous improvement and the opportunity to rebuild rugby in England – the governance, structure and funding – for the entire game.

” Not just the Premiership, not just the Championship, not just the professional level, but all the way through to grassroots rugby. “

The RFU has tabled a rival motion for March’s SGM, encouraging clubs to back its own plans to devolve power to the local level instead.

Interim chair Sir Bill Beaumont, along with Sweeney, has been touring the country in the past two months to gather support and has warned that a change of leadership risks” sending the Union into paralysis”.

The Whole Game Union failed in a late bid to include a third motion, calling for the removal of the RFU board, which has so far backed Sweeney and will ultimately decide whether to dismiss him, should a majority vote against the chief executive.

McAlpine is also chairman of Sussex club Chichester, who play in level six of the English pyramid system.

He says his club provides 40, 000 hours of youth rugby to local children, but their efforts have been hindered by cutting the network of regional rugby development officers while bonuses have been paid to RFU executives.

” Clubs now understand they have a voice, because of what has happened in the last couple of months, “he said”. Everyone is starting to understand that they just don’t have to accept that is is really difficult at grassroots rugby to provide the sport and keep it going. “

The SGM was triggered after more than 100 clubs signed a petition to debate Sweeney’s future. The mechanism is rarely used, with RFU members usually using the organisation’s annual general meeting each summer to air concerns.

The RFU is hiring rugby development officers after job losses forced by the Covid-19 pandemic, with 90 staff” regionally deployed “and 40 of 100 planned school rugby manager posts filled.

Sweeney and other RFU executives took voluntary pay cuts during the pandemic, and the bonus scheme put in place to retain them longer term was deemed” appropriate in light of the goals it sought to achieve “by an independent review.

Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite says he gained “motivation” after missing out on an England call-up for last summer’s European Championship.

Branthwaite was a surprise omission from the Three Lions squad and had to watch from home as the national team reached the final of the tournament, where they were edged out by Spain.

On Friday, new manager Thomas Tuchel names his first England squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after taking over from Gareth Southgate.

“I think every player does have an eye on it”, Branthwaite told BBC Sport when asked if he is already looking ahead to next year’s tournament.

“I missed out recently with a big squad and I don’t want that feeling again. That gave me motivation to]make sure] every game I play is my best to help my club and then give myself the best possible chance to be in the England squad.

” Once it comes around, that is my main ambition – to be picked in that squad. “

England face Latvia on 21 March and Albania three days later and sources have told BBC Sport over the past few weeks, Tuchel has spoken to more than 55 players individually on the phone.

Everton have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround since David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche as manager in January, currently on a run of eight unbeaten games in the Premier League and losing just twice in all competitions.

The Toffees were just one point above the relegation zone after losing the Scot’s opening game against Aston Villa, but a notable upturn in form has seen them move 16 points clear of the bottom three.

The side scored 15 goals in 19 league games under Dyche this season, but have since found their goalscoring prowess by netting 16 in nine under Moyes.

” When the old manager was here, we had the defensive structure and we still have that now – he brought that to us, “said Branthwaite”. When the new manager came in, he has kept that pretty similar.

“He has maybe added a bit more attacking threat and knowledge, we have kept the ball better as a team. We have built up with a bit more control so it is not as end to end.

Branthwaite has featured in 66 Premier League games since being given his debut by Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti in the 2019-20 campaign.

He said his defensive idol growing up was Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid, while also describing his own effortless, elegant style of play as a” Rolls Royce “type centre-half, a term which has also been used for Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

Branthwaite spent the 2022-23 season on-loan at PSV Eindhoven under Ruud van Nistelrooy, where he won the Dutch Cup.

His impressive performances has seen his stock grow, with Manchester United seeing two bids rejected last summer, while La Liga giants Real Madrid have reportedly been monitoring the player.

” It is about winning as many trophies as possible throughout your career, “said Branthwaite.

” A career is short so you need to make the most of it and give yourself the best possible chance to pick up trophies.