Bill Sweeney: the CEO of the Rfu survives the vote of no confidence during the special general assembly

Speaking against the motion, Wayne Barnes, a member of the Rfu board of directors, laboriously defended Sweeney’s record in his six years in the role and said that his departure would leave a significant void on top of English rugby.

“He takes all those relationships, that experience and that influence with him,” said former referee Barnes.

“The void would be filled with someone who does not know the landscape.”

Barnes also insisted on the fact that most referees did not support the movement, despite the union of the referees of Rugby football (RFRU) bringing the movement first.

“This is the time for rugby to meet,” said Barnes.

“I really hope we can start celebrating the huge positives in the game.”

However, speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors of the RFU, Barnes promised the powers that will continue to listen to the game in an attempt to end months of discord and heal the cracks in English rugby.

“There is clearly a lot of work to do to restore our relationship with the game of the community,” he added.

“We must focus on the restoration of trust.”

During a 58 -minute discussion, various members of the club, constitutive bodies, members of the Council and Council spoke to support or defense of the motion, before the vote was taken.

The motion received 466 votes against it and 206 voted for this, with 36 abstentions.

A second motion, which was carried out by the Board of Directors of the RFU, asked for the shipment of the governance reform, transforming more power to the game of the community.

“These reforms will represent a unique opportunity to change the RFU,” said Paula Carter, member of the Board of Directors of the RFU and member of the Council for Surrey.