by 
Abi Tierney has been in her role as CEO of the Welsh Rugby Union for just over a year and it is likely her reign will be judged on her actions over the coming weeks.
The way in which the WRU negotiated new contracts with its professional players has once again called into question the adequacy of its systems, less than a year after an independent review by Dame Anne Rafferty found that aspects of the culture of the governing body were sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic.
Things were supposed to change for the better, and while the WRU did indeed follow the recommendations of the Rafferty report, this latest episode shows that it has not yet gone far enough. The question that needs to be asked is: can you change the culture with the same people involved? Yes, former WRU CEO Steve Phillips resigned in January 2023 after the BBC exposed the toxic culture he had presided over, but his departure papered over many of the fissures still present within the organization.
LEARN MORE:England fined by World Rugby for haka response that stunned the world
LEARN MORE:England-New Zealand referee Angus Gardner received late-night phone call from furious coach
It seems some people struggled to fit into the healthier culture the WRU claimed to be trying to build. A report in the Telegraph claims players were given a three-hour ultimatum to sign contracts after the women’s national team threatened to go on strike.
It was also reported that WRU executive director of rugby Nigel Walker told players that if they did not sign new contracts they would be withdrawn from the WXV2 tournament in South Africa and, by extension, the World Cup in England next year. The WRU has undertaken a review of how contract negotiations were conducted and says it was a mistake to set a three-hour deadline, while also acknowledging poor behavior by both parties at various stages, among other things.
This has all happened under Tierney’s leadership and, as CEO, she is responsible for everything that happens within the WRU. Simply put, the buck stops with her.
At a hastily arranged virtual press conference on Friday, Tierney and WRU president Richard Collier-Keywood were asked repeatedly whether Walker’s position was now untenable. Of course, they asked the question bluntly, saying it was a collective failure rather than an individual one, but Tierney really needs to start making some tough decisions.
Walker has served Welsh rugby well in the past, but his position as executive director of rugby should rightly come under scrutiny in the wake of this latest debacle. The Telegraph report also claimed that many players had been subjected to severe coercion by members of the women’s coaching staff and senior management, with the finger being singled out at head coach Ioan Cunningham.
This situation will also put pressure on the former Scarlets forwards coach because there will clearly be friction within the dressing room.
The Union claims to have learned the lessons of the Rafferty report, but it once again exposes itself to serious accusations.
Tierney is also currently in the midst of another challenge as she seeks to secure a new long-term deal for professional men’s football in Wales. After four professional clubs in Wales – Cardiff, Dragons RFC, Ospreys and Scarlets – refused the WRU’s offer to wipe out most of their debt in exchange for a 20% stake in each company, they have another offer to think about.
WIN tickets to Wales’ autumn international matches: simply complete the form here and you will be entered into the draw for free Wales v Fiji tickets.
The new deal will still involve the WRU taking a significant portion of the professional clubs’ debt onto its balance sheet, but this time in exchange for a golden share in all four sides. If this is accepted, the WRU will have much more control over rugby operations at all four clubs.
Under the new deal, Warren Gatland and the WRU will have a say in how many minutes each member of the Welsh squad plays, the position they play in and, in some cases, the Welsh club they play for .
There is no doubt that Tierney wants four strong professional teams and she recognizes how this relates to the health of the men’s national team. But, ultimately, there is still an us versus them narrative bubbling beneath the surface when it comes to the relationship between the WRU and the four clubs, when it would clearly be beneficial to the game in its together if they worked together.
Some would argue that the WRU made unfair and unworkable demands while protecting themselves from financial risk, with the benefactors of the four professional clubs taking on most of the risk by agreeing to guarantee their respective clubs’ losses. As a result, benefactors would say that they are effectively subsidizing the governing body.
The WRU’s proposal to remove the majority of debt from professional clubs’ balance sheets and transfer it to their own balance sheets is a step in the right direction, but it is arguably not enough. It is also very obvious that Wales do not have the required number of high-end professional players to service four professional teams, nor do they have the money to do so.
Even if playing budgets reach £6.5 million, which is Tierney’s plan, the players aren’t there and that’s not a problem that can be solved by money alone. Yes, it would help if they brought players back from England, but it still wouldn’t be enough.
Wales only have enough quality players to serve three teams at most, which has been a given for a very long time. There is too much emphasis on the quantity and not enough on the quality of players in Wales.
Having strong professional teams competing at the forefront of competitions, and even winning titles, is a much better preparation for international rugby than clubs languishing towards the bottom of the URC rankings. There needs to be more emphasis on improving the standard of rugby at regional level and simply throwing money at it is not going to solve everything because the talent is too spread out.
The status quo is clearly no longer suitable. Like his predecessor David Moffett in 2003, Tierney really has to make tough decisions to improve the game in Wales and it is not his job to please everyone.
Wales’ new professional football strategy will be published in the coming weeks, but will it go far enough? That remains to be seen, but Tierney’s legacy depends on it.
