I am pleased to share a summary of my first RFU Council meeting, held on 3rd October 2025. It was an engaging and insightful session, and I had the opportunity to meet many of my fellow Council members for the first time.
CEO and Chair Updates
Bill Sweeney, Chief Executive Officer, provided an overview of current challenges and priorities facing both the game and the Union.
Sir James Wates, newly appointed Chair of the RFU Board, emphasised the importance of transparency and consistent communication with the wider Game—an approach that was warmly welcomed by Council.
Finance Update
The Chief Financial Officer presented the financial results for the 2024/25 year, noting that the Annual Report and Accounts are scheduled for publication in the coming weeks. An update on the current financial year was also provided.
The RFU operates on a four-year financial cycle, with profitability largely influenced by the number of fixtures held at the Allianz. Over the full cycle, this approach offers a balanced financial perspective.
County Championship Regulations 2025/26
Council approved the updated County Championship Regulations for the 2025/26 season, which include:
- A. Expanded eligibility criteria for Bill Beaumont Divisions 2 and 3 and Gill Burns Divisions 2 and 3. These now permit participation by players from National League Clubs’ 2nd XVs and below (provided they have not appeared on match cards for National 1 or National 2 teams), and Women’s Championship 1 Clubs’ 2nd XVs and below (with similar conditions).
- B. Replacement of the place-kicking competition (used in the event of a draw) with a countback mechanism for pools with two counties, quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the final.
I voted in favour of these changes, and they were duly approved.
Rugby World Cup 2025 and Impact’25
Council received a comprehensive presentation celebrating the key achievements of the recent Women’s Rugby World Cup, both on and off the field, with particular recognition of the Red Roses’ exceptional victory.
Tournament Highlights:
- A record-breaking 444,465 tickets sold
- Over 120 million social media views
- 50,000 new entries to the rugby database
- More than 1 million followers across Red Roses player channels
- 32,000+ visits to rugby.com during the tournament
Progress Since the 2021 Strategy Launch:
- 477 new women’s and girls’ teams established
- 18% increase in clubs hosting women and girls’ rugby
- 1,456 women qualified as coaches and match officials
- First exclusive women’s game partners secured with Clinique & Lucky Gold Star
Looking ahead, the forthcoming ‘Every Rose’ strategy, which sets out ambitious goals for 2030, will be released shortly.
Professional Rugby System Proposal
Council discussed possible changes to the men’s professional rugby structure (Premiership and Championship), particularly its integration with other areas of the game.
It was noted that attracting external investment remains challenging under the current framework, there is an argument that restructuring could unlock additional funding for the Community Game though no specific details were provided.
Council voted to formally acknowledge the need for change but there was insufficient detail available to approve the original proposal.
An amendment was passed requesting more detail on various parts of the proposal including how it would affect the community game, a revised proposal to be presented in February 2026 or before that date if extra detail had been added.
I voted in favour of this amendment.
Community Game Future Update and Delivery System
Council received an update from the Community Game Board Chair and Steve Grainger, Executive Director of Rugby Development, on efforts to align delivery across Constituent Bodies, the RFU, professional clubs, and future Regional Growth Boards.
Update sessions for Constituent Bodies are scheduled for November.
All clubs are encouraged to attend upcoming Competitions Workshops webinars, as feedback will be instrumental in shaping future actions. I have attached document that has more details and link to book on the webinars.
Competition Engagement workshops
No vote was taken on this item.
Governance and Representation Review
The Governance and Representation Review Group, established by Council in 2023, presented its final recommendations following a wide-ranging consultation.
With this piece of work concluded, Malcolm Wharton CBE has now stepped down as chair and it was agreed that the Group be reconstituted with the addition of several additional Council Members, together with a representative from the Presidential Team, to take the recommendations and develop firm proposals for voting later this season.
The reconstituted Group intends to work on final plans likely to be put before Council, and ultimately the wider RFU membership, before the end of the season.
Council then engaged in a series of facilitated workshops to discuss the recommendations from the Governance and Representation Review, the output of which will assist the Group in developing proposals for voting.
No vote was taken on this item.
In summary, it was a highly informative and productive meeting. I will continue to provide updates following each Council session and hope you find these insights valuable.
Neil Haagensen
RFU Council Member