The buck stops with the WRU CEO, now is the time to take decisive action

Abi Tierney is just over a year into her role as CEO of the Welsh Rugby Union and it is likely her reign will be judged on her actions over the next couple of weeks.

The way the WRU negotiated new contracts with its professional women players has yet again brought into question whether its systems really are fit for purpose less than a year after an independent review led by Dame Anne Rafferty found aspects of the governing body’s culture to be sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic.

Things were supposed to change for the better, and while the WRU did act upon the recommendations of the Rafferty report, this latest episode shows it hasn't yet gone far enough. The question which needs to be asked is can you change the culture with the same people involved? Yes, former WRU CEO Steve Phillips resigned in January 2023 after the BBC shone a light on the toxic culture he had presided over, but his departure did paper over a lot of cracks still present within the organisation.

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It appears some people have struggled to get on board with the healthier culture the WRU said it was trying to build. A report in the Telegraph alleged the players were given a three-hour ultimatum to sign contracts after the women's national side threatened to go on strike.

It was also reported that the WRU's executive director of rugby Nigel Walker told players if they did not sign new contracts they would be withdrawn from the WXV2 tournament in South Africa and by extension the World Cup in England next year. The WRU have undertaken a review into how the contract negotiations were handled and say it was a mistake to issue a three-hour deadline, while it also accepts there was poor behaviour by both parties at different stages, among other things.

This has all happened on Tierney's watch and as CEO she is responsible for everything that happens within the WRU. Put simply, the buck stops with her.

In a hastily arranged virtual press conference on Friday, both Tierney and the WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood were repeatedly asked whether Walker's position was now untenable. Of course they straight-batted the question, claiming it was a collective failure rather than an individual one, but Tierney really needs to start making some tough decisions.

Walker has served Welsh rugby well in the past but his position as executive director of rugby should rightly be under the microscope as a result of this latest debacle. The Telegraph report also claimed many players were subjected to some heavy-handed coercion by members of the women's coaching team and senior management, with head coach Ioan Cunningham singled out.

This situation will also put pressure on the former Scarlets forwards coach because there is clearly going to be friction within the dressing room.

The Union says it has learnt its lessons from the Rafferty report but has now left itself open to some serious accusations yet again.

Tierney is also currently in the midst of another challenge as she looks to put together a new long-term deal for the professional men's game in Wales. After Wales' four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons RFC, Ospreys and Scarlets - turned down the WRU's offer of wiping clean most of their debt in return for a 20% equity stake in each business they have another offer to mull over.

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The new deal will still involve the WRU taking a significant amount of the professional clubs' debt onto their balance sheet, but this time in return for a golden share in all four sides. If this gets agreed, the WRU will have a lot more control over the rugby operations at all four clubs.

Under the new agreement, Warren Gatland and the WRU will have a say on the number of minutes each Wales squad member plays, what position they are played in and in some instances which Welsh club they play for.

There is no doubt Tierney wants four strong professional sides and she accepts how this is interlinked with the health of the men's national side. But, ultimately, there is still an us-versus-them narrative that bubbles underneath the surface when it comes to the relationship between the WRU and the four clubs, whereas it would clearly be beneficial for the game as a whole if they worked together.

Some would argue the WRU have made unfair and undeliverable demands while protecting themselves from financial exposure, with the benefactors at all four professional clubs taking on most of the risk by agreeing to underwrite the losses at their respective clubs. As a result the benefactors would argue they are effectively subsidising the governing body.

The WRU offering to take the majority of the debt off the pro clubs' balance sheet and onto their own is a step in the right direction but it is arguably not far enough. It is also very obvious Wales doesn't have the required volume of high-end professional-level players to service four professional sides, nor does it have the money to do so.

Even if the playing budgets go up to £6.5m, which is Tierney's plan, the players aren't there and this isn't a problem which is going to be solved by money alone. Yes, it would help if they brought players back from England but it still wouldn't be enough.

Wales only has enough quality players to service three sides at most and this has been blatantly obvious for a very long time. There is too much emphasis on quantity and not enough focus on the quality of players in Wales.

Having strong professional sides competing at the cutting edge of competitions, if not winning silverware, is far better preparation for international rugby than clubs who are languishing towards the bottom of the URC table. There has to be a greater emphasis on improving the standard of rugby at regional level and just throwing money at it isn't going to solve everything because he talent is spread too thinly.

The status quo clearly isn't fit for purpose any longer. Like her predecessor David Moffett in 2003, Tierney really needs to make some tough decisions for the betterment of the game in Wales and it is not her job to keep everyone happy.

The new strategy for the professional game in Wales will be published over the coming weeks, but will it go far enough? That remains to be seen but Tierney's legacy depends on it.