RFU : A NATIONAL DISGRACE

Ever since England's dramatic win in the Rugby Union World Cup of 2003, their performances have fallen short of expectations. At the same time, the governing body the RFU, has been in increasing turmoil, never more so than in the last few weeks. The dismal performance of the English team at the World Cup tournament in New Zealand has left the most serious question marks over the future of the team manager, Martin Johnson, and over the entire make-up of the RFU.

Today it's been announced that the Acting Chief Executive of the RFU, Martyn Thomas, is to stand down in mid-December. Thomas only took over the post last June when the previous Chief Executive, John Steele, left after less than a year in post, having commissioned reviews that revealed deep seated problems in the whole organistaion and administration of the RFU. It would appear that Steele's approach, and proposed actions, did not find favour with the rest of the RFU's board, and he was forced out; at that time, Thomas was Chairman and he subsequently assumed the role of Acting Chief Executive as well. A review of the surrounding events, conducted by Judge Jeff Blackett, was highly critical of the RFU and by inference, Thomas, and made many recommendations, however, many of these seem to have been ignored. Thomas did resign his position as Chairman last July, but has remained as Acting Chief Executive until now while the turmoil has continued, unabated.

Given this backdrop, is it any wonder that England performed so badly at the recent World Cup ? Martin Johnson must have been left almost completely to his own devices as the RFU's management squabbled and bickered amongst themselves like a gaggle of old crones waiting for the next execution, with Thomas in the middle of it all. Now that he's going, perhaps there will be an opportunity for the RFU to begin to restore some order to its activities and to establish a structure that will ensure England will be a contender at the next World Cup, to be held here in 2015. Or is that expecting too much of this closed-shop, 'old boys' club' ?