FILE PHOTO: Winter Olympics - Team GB Homecoming - Heathrow Airport, London, Britain - February 26, 2018 Bill Sweeney (CEO, BOA) during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) - England Rugby Football Union CEO Bill Sweeney defended his pay package on Thursday and said he had no intention of walking away from his job despite facing a special general meeting called by disgruntled clubs.
Accounts published in November showed Sweeney received pay of 1.1 million pounds ($1.4 million) for the 2023‑24 financial year, comprising an increased salary of 742,000 pounds and a long-term incentive bonus (LTIP) of 358,000 pounds.
After finishing third at the 2023 World Cup, England had a miserable year in 2024, winning five of their 12 games - two of those against Japan.
Further bonuses totalling around a million pounds were paid to five other executives even though the RFU reported a record operating loss of 37.9 million pounds and made scores of staff redundant.
The figures caused uproar and the RFU will hold a special general meeting on March 27, after more than 100 clubs and other bodies demanded it.
Before then, Sweeney will go on a nationwide tour of clubs to explain his position.
"What I’m hearing back is less about the incentive scheme and the bonus... clubs say they don't feel correctly represented," he told reporters at Twickenham.
"The easiest thing to do right now would be to walk away, but I don't feel anywhere near that because I still feel I have genuine value to add. The moment I feel I don't, then I would go."
Sweeney said he did not request the LTIP.
"I had no idea it was being considered until about June of 2020 and it's not for me to say whether they were right to do it," he said.
RFU LOSSES
Sweeney said he would have liked the payment to be deferred as he was aware of the "optics" of him receiving such a sum in a World Cup year when the RFU suffered losses due to the absence of November internationals.
"I absolutely get why there was a lot of concern and a negative reaction," he said.
Internal fighting is not unusual at the RFU as the organisation tries to run the multi-million pound business of the professional game as well as being responsible for the country's grass roots clubs.
Sweeney joined the RFU from the British Olympic Association in 2019 and said he did so because he felt he could make a difference to a sport he loved.
"I don’t think it’s an impossible job. I think it (the RFU) needs to be changed and structures need to be changed, but I do think we’re making progress," he said.
Sweeney said he was obviously hoping for an upturn in England's results, but that coach Steve Borthwick had not been given any targets.
Having sacked coach Eddie Jones, whose win ratio was superior to his successor, Sweeney gave an insight into the complex workings of the governing body when asked what would happen should Borthwick's team continue to struggle.
"It's not my personal decision, it’s the panel," he said, in reference to a group routinely convened to advise on important matters, but who remain anonymous.
"I can be part of the conversation, but they are the experts and they’ll make a recommendation of who they think should be the next head coach - and then that's the job of the board."
Sweeney said he was proud of turning around the RFU's fortunes after grim years before his arrival.
"We started 2020 with 79 million pounds worth of debt and that is now zero," he said. "We have 59 million pounds cash and 80 million reserves - we are in a financially strong position."
($1 = 0.8116 pounds)
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Editing by Hugh Lawson and Ed Osmond)