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Do you trust the RFU? - Event Date: 30 Jan 2025 - 31 Mar 2025 |
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Big Eddie 
World Cup Winner 
Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Status: Offline Points: 5083 |
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 Posted: Yesterday at 15:53 |
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Perhaps they work for the RFU? Although having said that I do know some RFU employees who are deeply upset with King Billy's bonus at a time that some of their hard working colleagues have been made redundant. For what its worth here are 10 reasons (I could list a lot more) why I do not trust the RFU and directly beneath these 10 reasons all the reasons why in my opinion I should trust the RFU. If I have any of my facts wrong I will be happy to correct this post (although such corrective information may not on its own change my mistrust.......once the trust has gone it is very, very difficult to restore) 10 reasons why I do not trust the RFU 1. The byzantine governance structure of the RFU is opaque, breeds mistrust and is very heavily loaded in favour of the RFU Executive 2. As far as I can deduce from various constitutional documents I have looked at, the Board of the RFU appoints the members of the Board of the RFU (enabling cronyism at its absolute worst) how can this possibly be allowed ? 3. The RFU Council which used to be the 'oversight watchdog' appears to have absolutely no power being only able to rubber stamp the decisions made by the Executive 4. The pay and rations for the Executive does not seem to be based upon any common sense measure of performance. The RFU Executive have paid themselves significant bonuses in a time when the game and their own staff are suffering 5. The vast majority of the RFU's resources (which in reality are the resources of all 1600+ rugby clubs in England) are very clearly skewed to the elite game and just 10 out of the 1600+ clubs 6. The RFU play fast and loose with the league structures below the Premiership and often do not even set out the rules re promotion and relegation until the season is nearly over. 7.The RFU cut the funding of Championship clubs from £650k pa to £150k pa so they could maintain their ridiculous funding of the 10 hugely loss making Premiership clubs. Now the RFU wants these 2nd tier clubs to fund significant infrastructure improvements to remain in the 2nd tier. You couldn't make it up! 8. The RFU seems to be happy for one of Worcester Warriors/Wasps or London Irish to return to the league structure at level 2 even those 3 clubs have previously gone spectacularly bust leaving creditors unpaid and previous insolvencies have required clubs to go to the bottom of the pyramid. 9. The RFU has cut virtually all funding to clubs below level 2 whilst enriching those at the top of the game. 10. Recent coverage in the media suggests that the RFU Executive uses spin, deflection and external experts to justify its unacceptable, unfair and undemocratic behaviour. Reasons why perhaps I should trust the RFU I cannot think of one reason why I should trust the RFU. If anyone can please do let us know, I am sure those viewing Rolling Maul will be genuinely interested. It would be good to understand the view point of the 3 posters who have said they do trust the RFU. If any of the three such responders are to provide some insight on here it would be helpful in furthering understanding, perhaps they have some direct experience that supports their view and I for one would be pleased to hear such views. Accordingly I believe it is fundamental that their point of view is respected and not denigrated .....no one is going to post such a comment if they are going to get a barrage of vitriolic abuse.
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''The future isn't what it used to be''
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Rothman2
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Rotherham Joined: 20 Jan 2010 Location: Derby Status: Offline Points: 11934 |
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Posted: Yesterday at 16:04 |
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Maybe not even that. Maybe there are people “avvin a laugh” as they say. I’m all for having a laugh but this subject isn’t one of them.
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Big Eddie
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Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Status: Offline Points: 5083 |
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Posted: Yesterday at 16:07 |
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Rothman2 I presume your comment is in relation to the 3 voters who trust the RFU?
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''The future isn't what it used to be''
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Rothman2
World Cup Winner
Rotherham Joined: 20 Jan 2010 Location: Derby Status: Offline Points: 11934 |
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Posted: Yesterday at 18:25 |
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Sorry Ed. Absolutely I mean the three who voted yes. Apologies for any misunderstanding. I agree with everything you have said. I don’t trust the RFU and haven’t for 25 years or more. Nothing will change until the old guard are cleared out and replaced by people who have interests in the whole of Rugby and not just the England team or the Premiership at heart. There are many historical references I could post but, suffice to say, the RFU are not fit for purpose. How they can even contemplate restructure at this time is beyond me and the situation will not improve until EVERY club outside the Prem stands up as one and demands change. Edited by Rothman2 - Yesterday at 18:41 |
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Camquin
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Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Location: Cambridge Status: Offline Points: 11718 |
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Posted: Yesterday at 21:06 |
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If you do, they will be derided as 57 old farts by the professional game. The problem is that the amateur game needs the international game to generate income to use to promote and develop the game. Which means the England team needs to be somewhat successful. We need a way to develop international players. But we cannot afford to spend all the income supporting them. As then the amateur game gets the scraps. So we need strict spending limits. Which even some in the pro game admit - especially when not speaking for a current club. |
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Sweeney Delenda Est
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gerg_861
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Joined: 11 Jun 2017 Location: Ealing Status: Offline Points: 2816 |
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Posted: Yesterday at 21:07 |
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The action that shattered my trust in the RFU was the blatant lie that they told to justify defunding the Championship. For those who aren't aware, the RFU claimed that the Championship teams had not met any of a number of agreed targets around such things as community engagement and player development. These targets were a complete and utter fiction, and no one in any club that I have spoke to had ever heard of them. If the RFU just needed more money to shovel at the PRL, then they should have been brave enough to say so.
Edited by gerg_861 - 17 hours 7 minutes ago at 06:42 |
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islander
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Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Location: jersey Status: Offline Points: 7718 |
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Posted: 17 hours 54 minutes ago at 05:55 |
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the "Championship funding cut because of Covid" line from Twickenham is another leading 'mistruth' - the first round of swingeing cuts was confirmed in January 2020, prior to there being any appreciation (outside a handful of clever scientists) of the likely effect of Covid...
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Breakdown
First XV regular 
Joined: 11 Apr 2023 Location: SW London Status: Offline Points: 114 |
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Posted: 15 hours 12 minutes ago at 08:37 |
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Martin St Quinton was very good on the BBC sports podcast last week. Said nothing would change until the PRL salary cap was decided by an independent body and was directly linked to the clubs' funding from PRL and the RFU.
Basically said 'We can't compete with the French (clubs), so we shouldn't try.
He said the whole business model of Premiership clubs was broken. All clubs should be trying to break even. The proof of this was the fact that Newcastle and at least one other club who is looking for new owners cannot find them. I wonder what would happen if instead of eight clubs competing in Europe, we put forward three or four combined clubs representing regions? West, London, Midlands, North. Would provide a new kind of competition within PRL (which could grow to 12 or 14 with Championship clubs included), would revive memories of the sides that used to take on touring national sides, would mean that when Europe was on, the remaining players would make the Premiership still worth watching. And I suspect would aid the England selectors. |
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Broken down. Beyond repair.
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Big Eddie
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Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Status: Offline Points: 5083 |
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Posted: 14 hours 56 minutes ago at 08:53 |
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Thank you gerg 861 and islander for shedding light on the reasons why you don't trust the RFU. In my view it is important that these aspects of the RFU's disreputable behaviour are brought to light so that they cannot easily perpetuate the myth that it is them that are wronged by 'misinformation' spread by malicious malcontents.
Which is the disingenuous playbook currently favoured by the RFU. When I talk to friends who are football people and know very little about rugby they are truly incredulous that a major sport is governed in such a shocking manner. Rugby Union used to be sport's moral standard bearer upholding the values of integrity, fairness and equity......sadly those days are long passed as the behaviour of the leadership of the RFU continues to corrode such values and erode trust in the organisation and the sport. In my view it is important to share the reasons why you do not trust the RFU or if you have the contrary view why you do trust the RFU and this thread is a good place for all such rationale to be documented.
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''The future isn't what it used to be''
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rugbychris
British and Irish Lion 
Joined: 02 May 2019 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 190 |
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Posted: 12 hours 8 minutes ago at 11:41 |
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They are an organisation that is constantly spinning misinformation. Treating their member clubs like fools.
Just recently Beaumont sends a letter to clubs urging for unity. In the letter he mentions playing numbers being up to pre-covid levels? Sweeney on the, "good the bad and the rugby" podcast drops into conversation that playing numbers are actually quite good this season. Everyone in grassroots rugby knows this to be untrue. However, before Covid you only needed to register to play for your club if you represented the 1st XV. Now, EVERYONE who plays men's rugby has to register. The RFU can now declare an increase in numbers. Gins all-round. It's this culture of lies and spin that will eventually destroy the union. It doesn't matter what happens with Sweeney and the Exec board the rot has well and truly set in and the reputation of the RFU is damaged beyond repair. |
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Big Eddie
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Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Status: Offline Points: 5083 |
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Posted: 11 hours 40 minutes ago at 12:09 |
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Rugby Chris ......spot on!
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''The future isn't what it used to be''
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titans.chris
First XV squad 
Joined: 11 Feb 2023 Location: leeds Status: Offline Points: 45 |
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Posted: 7 hours 41 minutes ago at 16:08 |
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Wakefield, Orrell, London Welsh, Jersey (Nearly Roth) - SEE YA!
Worcester, Wasps, Irish - come back when you are ready. We will keep your seat warm. Don't worry about any champ team in your spot, we will move them aside for you. |
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BP Youth
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Joined: 03 Dec 2009 Location: At home Status: Offline Points: 509 |
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Posted: 7 hours 10 minutes ago at 16:39 |
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"We’re always pushing ourselves to create a more inclusive culture for our employees too. We have a number of employee network groups that provide peer-to-peer support while driving forward change and improvements."
I find it hard to place any trust in an organisation that states this as part of its purpose and culture whilst making people redundant.
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It's only a game
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Big Eddie
World Cup Winner
Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Status: Offline Points: 5083 |
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Posted: 6 hours 44 minutes ago at 17:05 |
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Very valid point BP Youth........comments like this in annual reports always appear to me as self congratulatory fluff. I know from conversations that I have had with a number of RFU employees that they were shocked and disgusted with the salary hike and bonuses awarded by the Executives to themselves when everything around them was being cut including people, expense reimbursement policy and other matters that hit them hard.
Any organisation where the leadership clearly thinks about their own pay and rations ahead of considering the people who work for them is not to be trusted as far as I am concerned.
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''The future isn't what it used to be''
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FHLH
World Cup Winner
Cambridge Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Location: Cambridge Status: Offline Points: 5512 |
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Posted: 2 hours 52 minutes ago at 20:57 |
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Look back to 2015/16 and the East Stand Development together with the sale of the hospitality business to Compass. There was a trading loss of ~£30m, an overspend on the development of £40m and income proceeds of ~£30m from the business sale.
Then there was the CVC sale proceeds distributed to Premiership clubs who soaked it up like a sponge & don't forget the 54 redundancies in 2016 and the 42 now. Then there was Sue Day's (Chief Financial Officer) financial forecast of cumulative future losses.
All of these muddy the water around RFU finances. I've been looking at company accounts for almost 60 years and find the Annual Report difficult to fathom. If only we could inspect the accounts - not sure what the rules for non profits are. That's why I don't trust the RFU. |
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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Big Eddie
World Cup Winner
Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Status: Offline Points: 5083 |
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Posted: 21 minutes ago at 23:28 |
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Thanks FHLH......I don't understand the RFU's accounts either and I have been looking at company accounts all my adult life ......but not quite as long as you.
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Rothman2 wrote: