RFU Council faces possible abolition after review

An independent review has called for the of the Rugby Football Union Council, whose 63 members include representatives from England’s counties, the military and Oxbridge, to be abolished.

The Council, whose members work on a voluntary basis, but receive expenses, free tickets and hospitality, oversee the RFU’s board.

It has responsibility for regulations governing the game, giving it a potentially decisive say on issues such as how the Premiership and top-flight clubs operate.

Under proposed changes the Council could be disbanded entirely or replaced with a smaller group of appointed advisors.

“I’ve no doubt this will rankle with a number of existing Council members,” said Ed Warner, one of the authors of the review.

“But I am hopeful that the logic of this streamlined structure, empowering those within community rugby, will win the hearts and minds of the majority.”

Warner added the RFU’s current structure was “clearly unfit for the modern era”.

The Council also included advocates for referees, players, the Premiership, the Championship and the National League.

“It represents some very significant changes in terms of how we need to be structured to govern the game,” RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said on Monday of the as-then-unpublished review

The review highlighted a complex and slow decision-making process, poor communication and unwieldy bureaucracy taking up time of grassroots volunteers.

Sweeney, who survived a rebel coup to remove him from his post in March, has backed more control of the community game being devolved to local levels.

After a consultation period that runs to the end of June, final recommendations will be made to the Council in autumn when it could rubberstamp its own demise, with members’ privileges and perks potentially being phased out over time.