Bill Sweeney, the chief executive of England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU), has survived a vote of no confidence after a special general meeting of the organisation.

Sweeney has faced calls to resign his position since the RFU annual report revealed in November that the English rugby chief had accepted a bonus of £358,000 in a year that the union reported record losses.

The controversial awarding of the bonus under the long-term incentive plan (LTIP) inflamed tensions between the chief executive and the sport, with the introduction of a new tackle-height law in the community game, the reduction in funding provided to Championship clubs and the poor performance of the senior men’s team also having attracted criticism in recent years.

A group of clubs and bodies entitled the Whole Game Union (WGU) successfully triggered the SGM after attracting a sufficient number of signatures in an uprising initially spearheaded by the Rugby Football Referees’ Union and Championship clubs. It was the first SGM in two decades.

But the attempted ousting has failed, with the vote of no confidence failing to pass on Thursday night after late interventions from RFU interim chair Bill Beaumont and other senior figures within the code.

Sweeney won a vote of member clubs by 466 to 206, with the resolution failing at the SGM. There were 36 abstentions.

A resolution tabled by the RFU around governance reform and a further devolution of power passed.

“Thank you all for your contributions this evening and for the thoughtful input we’ve received over the past few weeks,” Beaumont said, in closing. “Your engagement and dedication to the future of English rugby are what make our union so strong.

“On the first motion before us, the message from our members is clear. They have voted emphatically to support our CEO, Bill Sweeney, and I am pleased to see such a decisive outcome. I would also like to acknowledge the members who voted for the motion – thank you for your voices and your perspectives. Every opinion matters and your concerns have been duly heard.

“I ask that you now give the RFU the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to progress. We are listening and taking action. It is absolutely right that members should always have the opportunity to hold the leadership of the RFU to account. That is part of our democratic process as a membership-owned organisation.

“But the way to achieve meaningful changes is through open discussion, cooperation, and shared goals and so now is the time for us to come together, to strengthen our unity, and to focus on the future. The time for division is past. Now is the time to unite behind an opportunity to renew English rugby.”

The SGM was held at Twickenham and featured a mixture of RFU members attending in person and others taking part virtually. Of the total RFU membership of around 1,300, 672 cast votes.

While not all critics have been quietened, the resounding victory would appear to give Sweeney a strong mandate to enact the reforms he feels are necessary.

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