THE CATASTROPHIC COMPLACENCY OF THE CONSULTANCY CLASS CONTROLLING WELSH RUGBY

The Welsh Rugby Union has Perfected the Art of Kicking Issues Down the Road to an Art Form

Photo by Sébastien Marchand on Unsplash

Drift. Inertia. Evasion. Secrecy. Ivory Tower. Incompetence. Bureaucratic. Incapable of radical change. Woke. Frightened to act. These are all words currently associated with the Welsh Rugby Union whose contempt for the stakeholders in the Welsh game knows no bounds.

Yesterday, the WRU twelve person Board met to discuss yet another review commissioned to analyse the appalling state of Welsh Rugby. The independent consultancy, Portas Consulting, was asked to review the performance of the Welsh team during a disastrous 2024 when it lost every game played, a run of twelve defeats in a row. This was the worst playing record in Welsh rugby history. The report is expected to pass judgement on the futures of Warren Gatland, the head coach, and Nigel Walker, the executive director of rugby.

The Board meeting broke up on Tuesday afternoon. Yet no smoke has been seen rising from this papal-type enclave such is the secrecy culture wrapped around the senior executives who were appointed twelve months ago, and are incapable of exercising the type of strong management promised after replacing a proven corrupt regime who left the WRU in such disgrace in 2023. No PR announcement, no press conference, no briefings, no nothing. Just silence… what is going on here ??!!

The frustrating secrecy whereby the WRU conducts its business is an insult to all Welsh rugby lovers. I’m not suggesting day to day micro scrutiny, but regular press briefings and conferences that fans can access online, ensuring prompt information sharing following important events like this week’s Board Meeting. A Welsh omerta imposed by the WRU bigwigs is a repudiation of the new openness, transparency and information flow promised when the new Board was appointed. Why is the end of season review of the ongoing review of the yet to be disclosed “ One Wales” Strategy not publicly available? The Chairman, Collier-Keywood and the CEO Tierney have utterly failed to deliver. Their performances are as bad as the team they have been putting out on the rugby field.

We have also learned through reporting that Portas has been conducting a research project via a questionnaire sent to Welsh players( and even their wives?!), Welsh coaches and the support staff. A sample of interviews was conducted with some players, but only Jamie Roberts’ name emerged. He is a member of the WRU Board. Who is Portas Consulting Group ?

Based out of the United Arab Emirates, Portas is an international sports consulting group primarily operating in the UK, Middle East and Asia. In 2023, Portas turned over £ 29.3 million thanks to a focus on Saudi Arabia where it has a Riyadh office. It employs around 128 consultants and support staff, of whom 4 are designated as “experts”. Unfortunately none appear from their website profiles to have any rugby experience or credentials. The only consultant with “a focus on rugby and sports tourism” is Ben Payne who graduated in geography from Edinburgh University. Is he working on the WRU project ? If so, what are his credentials to analyse Wales’ performances and future outlook? Tell me, who has the authority and knowledge of international rugby to question and interview a coach of Warren Gatland’s stature and experience ? It’s laughable. There are possibly only a dozen people on the planet with the rugby gravitas and knowledge of coaching at elite international level who are qualified to interview and hold to account Warren Gatland for the performances of the Welsh team over the past 12 months.

In desperation, the CEO and Chairman of the WRU, who possess little or no rugby knowledge, yet again hide behind the skirts of yet another report from external consultants like Portas. I am confident that Portas is a fine consulting business as its excellent growth and financial results demonstrate. I object to any management team of any business utilising external consultants for political reasons to avoid personal accountability. This is what the WRU is up to. The evasive use of such consultancies to hide a fundamental lack of knowledge of the business of the WRU is a pathetic confirmation of the paucity of rigorous management ability of this current crop of executive WRU directors. The business of the WRU is rugby….so find the courage to make the hard, radical decisions as a Board. Gradual adjustments or tinkering with the game in Wales will not do. The kick it down the road mentality has to stop. NOW !!

It’s obvious that what’s gone wrong dates back at least 15 years when the WRU, controlled by the spiteful, venomous anti-region Roger Lewis declared that the four regional teams, the Scarlets, Ospreys, Blues and Dragons were competitor brands to the WRU Wales brand. How the regions have survived to this point without proper support from the pyramid revenue model imposed by the financial dominance in rugby union of international matches is a miracle. The so called benefactors are the men to applaud despite being constantly shafted by the WRU….Peter Thomas, Tony Brown, Robert Davies, Mike James, Roger Blyth, James Davies-Yeandle, Ron Jones and Nigel Short deserve plaudits from every Welsh rugby fan for their commitment to Welsh rugby. This commitment from a few individuals has not been matched by the WRU.

There is one quick decision to arrest the decline of Welsh Rugby. Fund the 4 regional teams properly.

They are represented on the WRU Board by Malcolm Wall who is the Chairman of the Professional Rugby Board (PRB). He was appointed to mend fences with the WRU, create a more collegiate approach by the four teams, and secure adequate funding on behalf of the regions. He has totally failed. His principal failure is not securing adequate funding and not utilising the leverage the regions possess over the WRU, notably the fact that around 90% of the total revenue of £ 102 million is generated through the international game defined by match revenue, commercial, hospitality, hotel and competitions. The key asset of the WRU outside the Stadium and hotel in Westgate St is the goodwill associated with having access to the players developed both through the community game (where every player starts his or her individual rugby career) and since the professional game took over the elite players from 2003 onwards, the Regions. Access to players is key to Wales as a team.

Wall should have negotiated far harder for a bigger slice of the pie than offered. Last season the WRU funded the regions with £ 28.7 million, a drop from the previous year of £35.5 million. Today the WRU Board are asking why is Welsh rugby in such a dire predicament ? It’s so obvious. You’ve put a stranglehold on the assets and development system you rely on to produce the talent that generates the income. Wake up guys and girls!!!

The owners of the four regions today must instruct Wall to demand that each Welsh region immediately receive £10 million per year to ensure the future competitiveness of each team. This is only 40% of total revenue, an uplift of £11.3 million which it can be argued could be funded by an increase in the current lending facility from £25 million to £40 million. Meanwhile, Abi Tierney can strip 20% savings across the board, and put in place a 5-8% revenue growth plan. It’s not that difficult. Even the new Finance Director admitted that the WRU balance sheet is strong and under-geared.

Instead of appeasing the inert and rudderless bureaucracy that the WRU under Tierney has become in the last twelve months, the regions must seize control back aided by the so called community clubs which have always been the strength of Welsh Rugby. The bureaucratic tail has been wagging the rugby dog. It’s time for the Regions to show their teeth and dictate the funding solution. If necessary, withhold all contracted players from representing Wales until appropriate funding is secured under a new PRB agreement.

This increased funding will also directly benefit the players, who will see a growth in their contract values and larger squad sizes to improve recovery and player welfare.

The orchestra is already assembling on the decks, and the lifeboats are being prepared. So, instead of commissioning reviews, reports and strategy documents, please stop kicking cans down the road and start making hard decisions.

Christopher Thomas

Langland Bay.