This was an historic day for the Welsh Rugby Union with 97.2% of clubs present at an extraordinary general meeting in Port Talbot voting to radically change the governance of the game in Wales.
If the special resolution to change the articles of association had not passed there would likely have been significant reputational and financial damage, with major sponsors threatening to pull out if radical reform did not come to pass.
In total 252 club voted with 79 proxy votes, while 30 clubs were not present having declined to vote or had put their proxy form in after the deadline had passed. You can read the full story here.
The new WRU board will include a CEO and independent chair, four independent non-exec directors (INEDs), Chair of the Professional Rugby Board (also an INED on appointment) and an elected or appointed or selected representative for the women’s game, and four national and district council members including chair of the Community Game Board.
Following the completion of the EGM, Ieuan Evans (chair), and Nigel Walker (interim CEO) addressed the press and this is what they had to say:
Q: Your reaction to that vote?
NW: "I said before today's meeting it was impossible to overhype an event such as the one we had today. We simply had to vote for change otherwise the future of Welsh rugby was in doubt.
"The feelings and emotions at the moment are one of relief rather than jubilation or joy, I suspect that will come. But also we know this is not the end of it, this is where the hard work starts.
"We have to repay the faith the clubs have shown in us today. 97% of clubs voted for change and the proposal that was on the table and we are delighted about that. But we recognise now we have got to back up the words with actions.
"It just goes to show by conversing and entering into a reasonable dialogue with our stakeholders, it is amazing what change you can bring about. It's a lesson for us that perhaps we should be having that conversation and dialogue we haven't been having in the past."
IE: "We went out of our way on this occasion to go out and explain. Nobody has the monopoly on wisdom. We need to engage fully and communicate and be challenged out on the road and we brought the clubs with us.
"That was an emphatic response by the clubs. It is not a time for triumphalism, this is relief and now the hard work starts. We like our watersheds in Wales, we have one every fortnight.
"You sense this is a significant one and this gives us a wonderful opportunity to ensure our young daughters and sons have a vibrant flourishing game to look forward to cos that ultimately is our role."
Q: All of Welsh rugby's ills are not solved by this vote though?
NW: "Absolutely not. It's a start though and the governance changes we have proposed going forward will help.
"We know the independent review is underway. There will be a few more kinks in the road before we are truly in the clear. The important thing is it's a positive starting point.
"We have to be true to our word. We want to change from the top to bottom of the organisation. We have said that and we now need to change.
"When you are involved in culture change we know we have to set the right example but you have to do it continuously. It won't happen in three or six months but this is an important step in the right direction.
Q: Can you guarantee there will be five women on the board by December 31?
NW: "We have said it's an aspiration to have five women on the board.
"I will not be a part of that process but we have engaged a head hunter in that search and as a man I would not be arrogant enough to suggest we won't have enough good women putting themselves forward so we are very hopeful.
"It maybe a journey and we may get to three women, then four and five and then six or seven. The important things is the organisation is open to change and wants to be welcoming to people of all persuasions, both genders, social class, religion and everything. That is what we want Welsh rugby to be."
Q: Why has it taken so long?
NW: "That's a very good question, it's taken too long and the warning signs have been there for quite some time and they have been ignored.
"We had a real wake-up call and responded and the membership has voted emphatically for change and it's now our job to make sure that change is enacted."
IE: "We have to be representative but also we are a small country and we have to make the most of our talents.
"51% of our population are women and we are more than capable of finding talented, passionate committed women to contribute enormously.
"We are adamant that part of this process, there is a line in the sand and this is a first major step forwards for us and there is more to come."
Q: Was there a plan B if this vote didn't go your way?
NW: "You'll be pleased to know we did have a plan B but we are just grateful we didn't have to put plan B into operation.
"We were always comfortable we'd done enough to explain the proposal and what the flip side of that coin would have been if we had not got the overwhelming majority of people voting for it today.
"I'm glad we are looking at plan A and that's the one we are going to be taking forward over the coming weeks and months."
Q: Ieuan, you've been influential going around the districts selling this message to make sure this result happened?
IE: "Yes. It's about bringing people with us.
"We needed to instil that requirement for change and what's going to be the benefit. The language and the tone that's been used over the last few weeks has been about opportunity.
"It's about grabbing that opportunity and making us a modern, fit for purpose, and outward looking organisation that's ready to be confronted by the challenges modern society throws our way."
Q: How do you feel about this vote effectively putting Ieuan out of a job?
NW: "If it takes Welsh rugby forward we are both comfortable with that proposition.
"It's not about Ieuan, no disrespect, and it's not about me. It's about the game of Welsh rugby.
"We both feel passionately about that. Whatever happens over the next four, five, six months happens."
Q: Are you confident you can move at a pace where girls and women get what they need to perform?
NW: "One of the most heartening things that happened when we were on our roadshow around the districts, a number of clubs came up to us and said during the meetings, once you get it right as the Welsh Rugby Union can you come back and help us to make our clubs more welcoming, and more representative of the society we serve?
"That's point one. Point two is I was at Cardiff Arms Park yesterday and I've been heavily involved over the last 18 months with the women's team.
"Seeing the players faces when they won their first match at the World Cup, seeing their faces yesterday just goes to show the power of sport and the pull of sport for male and female.
"Whether you are a boy or a girl at six or seven years of age you should be able to do that in an environment which is safe, first of all, and you should be able to see a pathway all the way through to international level whether you are male or female.
"We are on a journey, we aren't there yet, but we are working very hard to make sure that is the case."
Q: Do you think Welsh rugby is currently institutionally sexist and misogynistic?
NW: "Well, I'm not going to make a judgement on that.
"We've got a review which is underway and I'm sure Dame Anne Rafferty and the panel will come to a view on that.
"If that's the view we have to accept it and move forward. It's not for me to say.
"We are not the only organisation in this country at the moment who are going through these things.
"If it is identified that we have issues in that regard we have already undertaken to implement the recommendations in full."
Q: There were warnings key stakeholders and sponsors would have pulled out if this vote didn't go through. How close did Welsh rugby come to experiencing some very serious issues?
A: "We've got very serious issues, let's not understate that.
"Ieuan and I have had a number of conversations with all stakeholders, not just our sponsors but Welsh Government, clubs, and regions.
"Those conversations were frank and we understood the need for change and we've conveyed that to the clubs, and the clubs have responded in a very positive fashion."
Q: What are the mechanics of what happens next? How do you go about reforming the board?
NW: "Well, there will be a transition period.
"We've given ourselves the deadline of December 31 2023. I'm hesitating at putting a deadline but December 31 2023 is the deadline.
"We are confident that those changes and the transition period will be done and dusted well before December 31 2023.
IE: "What I'll add to that is governance doesn't stop, it continues.
"We will constantly review, constantly challenge, and constantly scrutinise to the benefit of us all. Ironically, we've both played high performance sport and this is about being a high performance organisation.
"With regards how that cascades down I think that's the opportunity here to cascade down through society at large but also the game at large."
Q: Is the Independent Chair the first thing you are going to look at?
NW: "Independent chair yes because you'd expect the independent chair to have a say on the independent non-executive directors and the chief executive officer.
"Certain parts of the process will move forward together then once the chair is identified the other parts will then be concluded."
Q: How long will you continue as interim CEO?
NW: "I haven't even given that a thought. Of all the things I'm thinking about, how long I am interim CEO is not one of them. It may sound twee, but it is bigger than any one person, it is about the game as a whole."
Q: Will there be someone who wants the roles (of chair and CEO) and how long until we have a woman in the role?
IE: "I loudly applaud them for voting me out of office. I have no doubt there will be people who want to become the new independent chair of the WRU.
"We are very fortunate in Wales. Sometimes we take it too lightly at how significant a role that Welsh rugby and the WRU plays in Welsh life.
"It is embedded in our DNA and plays such an important role in our civic and social lives. I feel this is a wonderful opportunity for a person with drive, enthusiasm and skill set to play a massive role in our future.
I have more than enough faith in the fact there are quality women out there who are more than capable of filling the roles of Chair and CEO."
NW: The short answer is not too long.
Q: Is there any chance Amanda Blanc will come back?
NW: "The lines of communication have always been open. It is not my decision to make for her as either a potential chair and CEO, but I'm sure that thought will have crossed many people's minds."
Q: The WRU were described as a laughing stock in the EGM. How can you drag yourselves off the floor?
NW: "As I said when I addressed that comment, it was a comment well made. We aren't ducking responsibility, we are responsible for running this organisation. We have not done as well as we could have in a number of areas."
Q: How close are you to signing off a deal with the regions?
NW: "It is imminent. I know you have heard that before but unfortunately there are a lot of 'i's' to be doted and 't's' to be crossed.
"We are making progress every day and we hope too be able to make an announcement very, very shortly. I'm not going to put a number of days on it.
"We are making progress, we continue to make progress and we are working collaboratively to make sure we can reach a conclusion as quickly as possible."
Q: Will these governance changes impact the professional game as well?
IE: "Nothing is mutually exclusive, particularly in Wales."
NW: Absolutely is my one word answer."
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