Biggest club response in WRU history to Moffett's Call for EGM

Four months after I first arrived back in Wales, my ‘One Wales’ Manifesto for Welsh Rugby was launched on 28th March at The Castle Hotel in Neath. It became clear after the release of the Manifesto that many clubs felt there was merit in its content. However it also became abundantly clear that there were many other issues that clubs were unhappy with.

The most common complaint was and is ‘The grass roots are being neglected and clubs are in real trouble’ and that ‘Welsh club rugby is dying on its feet’.

Through the hard work of my small team and much needed help from others, more than 50 clubs have decided that questions need to be answered at an EGM. This is the largest number of clubs to call for an EGM in Welsh Rugby history.

The 9 issues to be raised at the EGM are:

1. The CEO and the Executive must confirm the League structure for season 2014/15. The new league structure was decided with no direct input from clubs. In recent meetings with the Districts the WRU was informed that the new league structure was unacceptable. The Executive have ignored the clubs and have not provided a viable alternative. To date clubs have not been directly informed by the WRU of their intentions
2. The CEO and Executive continue paying down debt at a rate that is detrimental to the clubs.
3. The CEO and Executive have allowed the cost of tickets and management of the ticketing office to spiral out of control.
4. The CEO and Executive are operating without a proper business and strategic plan that has been communicated in full to all stakeholders.
5. The CEO and Executive are withholding urgently needed funding to all levels of the game despite reporting £11million in Reserves in FY2013.
6. Despite a promise from the Chairman, CEO and President have not provided the facts to contradict a ‘scurrilous’ and inaccurate financial expose by a former WRU Group CEO David Moffett, they have not done so.
7. Since 2007 the CEO and Executive have failed to recognise the urgent need to evolve the Professional, Semi Professional and Community games in line with best practice.
8. The Board, have themselves, not followed best practice as recommended by the UK Government and the Board of WRU is not fit for purpose.
9. Despite a document entitled A Manifesto for Change provided to all clubs by former WRU Group CEO, David Moffett, and numerous attempts by him to contact the Chairman, the WRU has ignored its existence whilst belatedly announcing identical strategies many weeks after its release.

At the conclusion of the Media Conference, I will be delivering the signed documents to the WRU on behalf of the clubs.

The process of gaining the required number of votes was never going to be straighforward. Our job was made easier however because the WRU and principally its CEO have steadfastly refused to listen to the clubs. There have been numerous promises to keep clubs informed of critical issues and to reconsider their attitude to the League restructures. A Board meeting was hastily convened to discuss the highly contentious Leagues issue nearly 2 weeks ago and still the WRU have not been in touch with clubs to inform them of the outcomes, if indeed there were any.

Rather than rejoicing at this result, which many thought impossible to achieve, my overwhelming feeling is one of profound sadness.

How has it come to this? The short answer is that the Board and CEO have dropped the ball once too often. Unused to being challenged, they have responded by treating the clubs in a manner not befitting their status as owners of the WRU.

The clubs that have called for an EGM are sending a clear message to the WRU: ‘Do not underestimate our power to call you to account when you do not heed our legitimate and reasonable concerns’

I shall now spend the time prior to the EGM talking to clubs to explain in greater detail the content and potential outcomes.

In response to a number of questions from clubs (about my motives, my passion for Welsh Rugby, campaign funding, reasons for leaving in 2005 and more), I promise to address those issues and any others when we meet.

Lastly, the EGM is not an attempt to get approval for my Manifesto. In fact I give all clubs my guarantee that if the changes contemplated in the EGM are carried, the clubs will be fully consulted and have the final vote on any proposals put forward by a new Board on any aspect of the Governance and Management of the WRU.

Should any club wish to speak to me directly regarding the EGM or any other issues, please either reply to this email or call me on 07592 000049

David Moffett

Former CEO The Welsh Rugby Union and Millennium Stadium