RFU chief apologises for tackle law change fiasco – but rules out U-turn

Bill Sweeney has apologised for the Rugby Football Union tackle law fiasco that has left him fighting for his job but has insisted it had no choice but to make the game safer.

Speaking for the first time about the RFU’s botched handling of the most seismic changes to the way the game is played since it turned professional, Sweeney admitted mistakes had been made in how they had been forced through.

“We’re happy to actually hold our hands up and say, ‘Maybe we should’ve handled this differently’,” Sweeney told Telegraph Sport while speaking about the recent crises engulfing both rugby and the RFU.

The sudden ban on tackles above the “waist” in the amateur game in England from next season, imposed without consulting those affected, provoked a major revolt, with Sweeney facing calls to resign and a vote of no confidence at a special general meeting.

“Rightly so, you can understand people going, ‘Well, there should’ve been more consultation’,” Sweeney said.

But he stood firm over the basis for the law change, a combination of what he called overwhelming “scientific evidence” and “lawsuit challenges” by brain-injured former players.

He added: “You can’t just be in possession of that information and do nothing.”

'We have upset so many of you'

Sweeney spoke to Telegraph Sport shortly before the RFU issued a humiliating apology for having caused “anger and concern” across the community game but resisted a U-turn on lowering the legal tackle height.

It said: “In our desire to act quickly to reduce head impacts and concussions in the community game, which represents 99 per cent of the rugby playing population in England, we have upset many of you who are the champions, volunteers, and ambassadors of our game. We fully acknowledge we got the engagement wrong, and we are truly sorry.”

There will now be a concerted effort from the union to consult with the players, coaches and referees over the wording of the law change, notably to explain that “waist” will refer to the navel rather than the hips, giving slightly more leeway to tacklers than had been feared.

Calls for Sweeney to resign

None of this firefighting has prevented calls for Sweeney to resign. The Community Clubs Union (CCU) campaign for a vote of no confidence in the chief executive has now received the backing of around 280 clubs.

“Bill Sweeney has shown he is no friend of the community game and has seriously undervalued the strength of the community game,” said a CCU spokesperson on Friday. “We will push for his resignation or removal via the SGM.”

This vicious backlash compounds something of an annus horribilis for Sweeney, who was already facing calls to resign over the collapse of Wasps and Worcester and questions over his backing for and then sacking of England head coach Eddie Jones. He also suffered a pulmonary embolism in April.

Asked last month whether he had considered his position, he said: “I love this job. It’s a privilege to do it. It’s quite demanding at times, we’ve spoken about 2022, and I believe I’ve got the full backing of the board. That’s not my decision to make, if somebody else thinks differently.”