Welsh Rugby Union Chief Executive anticipates possible future negative media coverage

Abi Tierney, the chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union, stated that she is unable to assure that the organization will avoid additional unfavorable media attention going forward. Her appearance before the Senedd’s Culture and Sport Committee followed scrutiny regarding the contract negotiation process for the Wales women’s national team. Richard Collier-Keywood, the WRU chair, characterized the dispute as a “failure” in the union’s governance and leadership. He accepted accountability for the delay in establishing a sub-committee of the WRU board dedicated to women’s rugby, implying that the “crisis” concerning contracts might have been averted had such a committee been in place sooner. This committee was established in September. An email, reviewed by the BBC, revealed that players faced threats of exclusion from the WXV2 international competition and, consequently, the following year’s World Cup when contract discussions faltered. On 2 August, they received a “final offer” ultimatum, stipulating that failure to sign within a three-hour deadline would result in the cancellation of scheduled matches against New Zealand, Scotland, and Australia, and the retraction of the contracts. Ms. Tierney informed the committee on Thursday that it would be “unfair for me” to assert that the WRU would not encounter similar negative media coverage in the future, stating, “because culture change is a journey and I think it’s how we respond to those headlines that is so important”. Mr. Collier-Keywood refuted claims of sexism in the contract dispute. He explained that the WRU had not completely grasped that its female players were employees, in contrast to the male players who hold contracts with their respective clubs. He stated: “We were not treating the women as employees to the full extent of that term and that was confusing… we were not fulfilling our obligations towards the women that we should have been at that time.” Mr. Collier-Keywood verified that he and Ms. Tierney had both issued apologies to the players. In an interview with BBC Wales following the hearing, Mr. Collier-Keywood remarked: “We got some things wrong with the WRU. “We hadn’t set up the right level of process, we had confused their roles as high-performance athletes and employees, and we’d put them under pressure to sign the contracts, which I felt was not the right thing to do. “So I think when you get it wrong you should apologise.” Ms. Tierney informed the committee that “transformational change would take time” and described the outcomes of monthly staff surveys as “challenging.” She added, “But it does give us an idea of where we have got to grow.” Subsequently, she conveyed to the BBC: “There have been systemic challenges with Welsh rugby for many years, and I don’t think there are any quick fixes. “What I’m trying to do is put in sustainable fixes that will take time and I’m just hoping that people give me the patience and have confidence in me to do it.” Delyth Jewell, the Culture and Sport Committee chair and a member of Plaid Cymru, later stated that the committee had pledged to hold the WRU accountable following last year’s accusations of sexism and misogyny within the union. She commented, “It is clear from our session with the WRU today that progress has been made, and we appreciate the openness and sincerity that was evident from the WRU leadership.” However, she noted that “controversy surrounding the senior women’s team contract negotiations is concerning and shows that there is still work to be done”. Jewell indicated that her committee felt “reassured” that the WRU had “clearly acknowledged the issues” and demonstrated a “willingness to learn from other organisations,” citing the Football Association of Wales as an example. She further added, “The recommendations from the independent review at the Welsh Rugby Union must be implemented so that Welsh rugby is a safe space for all.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.