Call to axe Sweeney 'as soon as possible'

BILL Sweeney’s tenure as RFU chief executive is in a precarious position after Bill Beaumont’s announcement as an interim RFU Board Chairman resulted in increased unrest among over 200 clubs calling for a Special General Meeting.

- NICK CAIN

The decision by Sweeney and his beleaguered Twickenham administration to enlist Beaumont – an admired figure in English rugby – in the wake of Tom Ilube’s Friday morning resignation as Board Chairman, did nothing to mollify the anger of clubs calling for an SGM motion “to terminate his (Sweeney’s) employment at the RFU as soon as practicably possible”.

Instead, there was resentment at what was seen widely as a cynical ploy by Sweeney’s supporters to parachute Beaumont into Twickenham on a salvage mission, even though it could jeopardise the former England captain’s status in the game.

Simon Halliday, until recently Championship chairman, advised Beaumont to be cautious, telling The Rugby Paper: “I’ve known Bill Beaumont for many years, and I think he will be interested to hear the reality of the situation – and I’m happy to tell him what it is.”

The sense that fuel was being added to the fire among the Championship clubs, and in the Rugby Football Referees Union, was soon reflected in a joint statement.

This picked up not only on a lack of contrition in Ilube’s resignation letter, stating that “recent events have become a distraction from the game”, but also that he intended to “stay on to ensure a smooth transition to a new chair”.