1 English rugby has reacted badly to the news that the RFU’s Chief Executive, Bill Sweeney, received a bonus of £358,000 to add to his salary of £742,000. His starting salary had been £430,000. The committee that decides these sums gave him a score of 0% in two categories, Rugby Inclusivity and Participation in Community Rugby for Women and Girls. The RFU has announced a loss of nearly £40M.
While the women’s national side, the Red Roses, is sitting on an unbeaten run of 20 matches (following a previous run of 30), the men’s team has suffered five losses out of seven this season.
Two months ago a staff cut of 42 at Twickenham was announced.
An ongoing weakness of the RFU’s structure is its dependence on full houses for home internationals. They vary in number every year.
Two former holders of Sweeney’s position have called for his resignation.
2 Irish rugby’s ‘Women in Rugby’ network hosts the third of its information nights on Wednesday 4 December. It is focused on Club Development in the Female Game.
3 A report in the ladiesrugbyclub.blogspot highlights the welcome growth of XVs rugby in Scandinavia. The national unions of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have been collaborating to advance the cause. At the start of this month Denmark beat Norway 7-0 in Oslo, their first Fifteens game for two decades. Their coach, Nina Vistisen, was a familiar name in the Premier 15s in England.
The challenge has been to encourage a switch from the more popular 7s format.
4 Sale Sharks will play their next game against Leicester Tigers at Salford Community Stadium., not Heywood Road. Their motto remains: “Northern Rugby Matters”. Let’s hope the PWR board agrees and knows how to assist.
5 Twelve teams have landed in Dubai to start the 2024-25 SVNS series. There are five new head coaches, four of whom are women: Jocelyn Barrieau (Canada), Yuka Kanematsu (Japan), Crystal Kaua (Brazil) and Giselle Mather (GB). They join Emilie Bydwell (USA) and Maria Ribera (Spain). That adds up to six out of twelve, a far better ratio than in other sectors of the women’s game.
6 Dave Ward has been reappointed as head coach of Bristol Bears until at least 2027.
