WRU Progress Update

The Welsh Rugby Union yesterday, Friday 19th January, published the first of its quarterly updates detailing progress made against the recommendations of the Independent Review into its culture completed in November 2023.

The Independent Review’s chair, Dame Anne Rafferty, has already been confirmed as the chair of a new external Oversight Group (OG) which will be in place for a three-year period to give an outside perspective and consult on progress on implementing the recommendations.

Appointing the OG is the first of approximately 36 recommendations, which are divided into nine subject areas, and this recommendation has been marked for completion by the end of this month, with two further independent appointees set to join.

The other eight areas covered are: continued reform of the WRU Board; reform of the WRU Council; improved transparency; Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; financial support to clubs; investment in the women’s and girls’ game; improved employment practices; and disability strategy.

In many cases there are further subsections to the recommendations and the WRU has confirmed a timeline for completing the actions necessary in each case whilst also publishing details of progress already made in each area.

Some of the recommendations around governance reform of the Board and Council, for example, have a longer time frame for completion as a result of comments made in the Independent Review itself about allowing the governance modernisation already in place to ‘bed in’.

For this reason the governance changes have the longest lead in date with consultation planned for December 2025, but most other entries in the document are either in advanced stages of completion or due to be put in place before the end of the calendar year.

“We are deliberately and consciously making ourselves publicly accountable for completing the recommendations made by the Independent Review at pace,” said Welsh Rugby Union chair Richard Collier-Keywood.

“These recommendations are a blueprint for reform of the WRU and we are deadly serious about ensuring we follow through on the commitments we have already made – promises repeated by both Nigel Walker as interim CEO and Abi Tierney as our new Group CEO – of implementing them in a timely manner.

“We are working hard on a plan and will be consulting widely in the coming months and weeks before
committing to publishing a new ‘One Wales’ strategy for the game by June 2024.

“This strategy will encompass many of the themes of the Independent Review and help us make further progress against its recommendations.

“Already we have our OG chair in place and we will be reporting to this group, and publicly, on a quarterly basis.

“We have changed our Board in line with the recommendations and continue to improve our ways of working. We are also on track to implement the recommended improvements to our staff and inclusion policies and procedures.

“We are committed to delivering increased transparency on our performance and improved inclusion will be a central part of our new ‘One Wales’ strategy.

“The full detail of our progress against the recommendations of the Independent Review is there for everyone to see and I would like to reiterate our commitment to opening ourselves up to scrutiny.”

The progress document is available online at https://community.wru.wales/the-wru/reports/.

“We are a union of member clubs, but also belong to the nation which is why we need to be fully transparent in everything we do,” added WRU CEO Abi Tierney.

“Rugby is woven into the fabric of Welsh society and it is a major strength for us as a governing body that our game matters so much to our people.

“With this major strength comes a huge amount of responsibility, the nation invests in us not just financially but, most importantly, emotionally and passionately.

“Arguably as much or more so than any other rugby or otherwise sporting nation around the globe.

“Supporters, players, coaches, referees, men, women, children, staff and volunteers up and down the country engage with rugby because it is part of their DNA. It’s part of being Welsh, and we need to be equal to this emotional investment.

“We will be the Welsh Rugby Union that Wales deserves and we will use the recommendations of the Independent Review as the foundation stone for a Union which deserves the attention it receives, the affection in which it is held and which makes the country proud in every aspect of its operations.”