Image source, Huw Evans AgencyImage caption, Richard Collier-Keywood became the first independent Welsh Rugby Union chair in 2023
ByGareth GriffithsBBC Sport Wales- Published9 minutes ago
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An extraordinary general meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union might be called off after it was announced chair Richard Collier-Keywood would step down.
One of the WRU's club districts - Central Glamorgan Rugby Union (CGRU) - succeeded in receiving backing from enough clubs to call the meeting that was scheduled for Monday, 13 April.
The CGRU had proposed three motions which included a vote of no-confidence in Collier-Keywood and Professional Rugby Board (PRB) chair Malcolm Wall.
Collier-Keywood has been in position since 2023 but will exit on 16 July after deciding not to seek a second term and a replacement will be appointed.
He is the second major figure to leave Welsh rugby's governing body in recent weeks after Wall also left in March at the end of his tenure.
Former Harlequins chairman Wall has been replaced on an interim basis by Marianne Okland.
The third motion involved governance changes which included how the four council WRU members - who sit on the WRU board - are elected.
The CGRU have written to clubs informing them that they feel there is now no need for an EGM and they will be withdrawing the three motions.
The letter stated: "With the exits of the WRU chairman and the chairman of the PRB along with future engagement with the WRU board on our governance proposals we have achieved the key objectives of our campaign and feel there is no requirement now for an EGM.
"In light of this, we are engaging with the WRU board to discuss how best to manage the EGM process, but it is likely this will now not be required in its current form as we are writing to the WRU legal team to inform them we are withdrawing all three motions.
"We will now request to have constructive engagement with the WRU's board of directors on the governance changes that we had requested, and we believe there is an agreeable path forward for this with regards to council members elections onto the WRU board.
"There will be further details once these discussions conclude."
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'WRU must pause their three-team plans'
Calls for the EGM also followed the WRU's controversial plans to cut the number of professional teams from four to three by June 2027.
That proposal has been met with criticism, protests and legal action from both Scarlets and Swansea Council.
The potential impact of the latest development on the WRU's plans to cut a team were not directly addressed in the letter sent by CGRU, but the district urged the WRU to pause their plans for the professional game.
An alternative plan to try and keep four teams has been put forward by former chief operating officer of Principality Building Society Rob Regan.
The CGRU letter said: "While there is still much work to do in order to rebuild trust between the WRU board and the member clubs, significant progress can be made.
"We look forward to engaging with the leadership on the future of Welsh rugby and the best way forward for all stakeholders, including the future of the Ospreys, and request the WRU board engage with Rob Regan and his team and pause their plans on the professional game and publish all the evidence before any decisions are made."
CGRU thanked the clubs for their support as they stood to "safeguard the game in Wales".
The letter continued: "We are still in a critical moment for Welsh rugby, but we hope we can have renewed engagement with the leadership, and that our voice is never ignored again.
"We hope all member clubs take great confidence we still have a voice and we are proud of how clubs from across Wales have come together to protect the game we all love and we don't have to use an EGM again as an avenue for our voices to be heard.
"We are seeking that there will also be a commitment to more openness, respect and transparency with our elected Council members who are there as our representatives."
