[Source: Reuters]

A nationwide consultation seeking views from across the rugby community on how best to modernise the way the game is governed in England has been launched by the RFU, the game’s governing body in the country said on Wednesday.

The consultation is the next step in the work of the Governance and Representation Review Group, which was set up last year, and the RFU said it was not a response to last month’s Special General Meeting when CEO Bill Sweeney survived a vote of no-confidence.

“In the first phase of its work, the group has spent the past year conducting an extensive fact-finding process to understand how the game can better reflect the voices of those who play, run, and support rugby,” the RFU said in a statement.

“It has reviewed previous consultation findings, used insight from the National Rugby Survey, undertaken a series of focus groups, surveyed RFU Council Members and held interviews with a wide range of stakeholders, as well as looking at other Unions and their governing models and membership organisations.”

The survey found overly complex and slow decision-making, a lack of transparency and communication, insufficient representation and diversity and a high administrative burden on volunteers. Options set out by the Review Group include replacing the current 63-person RFU Council with a smaller national advisory group.

One of the issues that caused disquiet at the SGM, and that was recognised by Sweeney, was a lack of “voice” for the grass roots game and the Review Group plans to develop a “genuinely devolved regional system so those in the game can feel closer to and can influence the decisions which impact them directly.”

The consultation will run from 30 April to 30 June 2025 during which time the Review Group is inviting views from clubs, players, coaches, volunteers, administrators, and anyone passionate about the game.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.