An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union has been called to attempt to enforce the promotion of Beddau RFC and Bonymaen RFC into the Premier Division following the 2006-2007 season.
Letters from the WRU have been sent out to all member clubs and associated organisations inviting them to send delegates to the meeting at the Princess Royal Theatre in Port Talbot on Sunday July 1st 2007 at 11.00am.
The EGM will consider a special resolution submitted jointly from Beddau RFC and Bonymaen RFC calling for their promotion from Division One East and Division One West respectively. Both clubs won their respective divisions in the recently completed 2006-2007 season but they had failed to achieve the required criteria standards for promotion. Their resolution before the EGM calls for both clubs to be promoted and allowed to complete work to achieve the criteria before the start of next season.
The WRU Board of Directors recently voted to stand by the Union’s rules which state that only clubs which have achieved the criteria standards can be promoted into the Premiership.
WRU Chairman David Pickering said: “We are confident that the clubs will support the Union and defeat this resolution when they are in possession of the full facts.
“We gave full and fair hearings to Beddau and Bonymaen after which the WRU Board of Directors unanimously supported our view that their appeals for promotion should be rejected.
“This follows a previous hearing by a Review Panel of the WRU which also turned down the requests from Beddau and Bonymaen.
“The Board held a two-hour meeting with both clubs when a thorough investigation into the issue was held and all the reasons surrounding the issue were investigated. The unanimous decision was to reject the appeal.
“We believe when our clubs have full knowledge of the facts they will back the Review Panel and the Board whose job it is to manage and control the game in Wales.
“The fundamental argument in this issue is that the criteria standards were introduced in 2005 so ambitious clubs have had time to achieve the standards we all want.
“Some Division One clubs achieved those standards and it would be unfair on them and on the hard work they have done to change the rules now.”
Details of the WRU case against the EGM resolution are contained in a question and answer guide on the Welsh Rugby Union website (see below document).
The Beddau RFC and Bonymaen RFC websites both detail their arguments for calling the EGM.
The Premiership Promotion EGM
QÂ and A
1) Why are there standard entry criteria for the Premiership?
We have to look beyond simply improving playing standards. Facilities and off-the-field administration have to be first class to attract more players, supporters and commercial partners into to the game. We have to be professional, especially at the top of the game.
2) Why did we set deadlines?
It’s all about promotion and relegation. Any club wanting promotion had to have the criteria in place so that if they won their division they could automatically move up.
3) When did the clubs first know about all this?
This was all agreed and communicated in early 2005. That was the time any ambitious clubs should have started spending on improvements. Some did.
4) Those deadlines again. What were the relevant dates?
In season 2005-2006 the deadline for completion of the work was May 31st 2006.
In season 2006-2007 the deadline for completion was January 31st 2007.
5) Have Beddau and Bonymaen achieved the criteria standard?
No. Neither club has achieved the necessary facilities standard over the two seasons the WRU criteria have been in place. To date Beddau RFC have not made any submissions under the three remaining sections of the criteria.
6) But didn’t Bonymaen get a deadline extension in May 2006?
Correct, they did. But they lost their play-off game that year so did not undertake the facilities upgrade. However they could have pressed on and achieved the standard. They chose not to. Remember, that was the first year the criteria were in place. That was a big motivating factor in allowing a deadline extension.
7) Deadlines again. In September 2007 was there a WRU letter to clubs giving the January 2007 deadline for completion of the work?
Yes. That letter spelt out what had been confirmed in July 2006. Now the two clubs claim that September was too late. But they did not complain at the time. They only complained at the end of the 2006-2007 season. At one stage both clubs told the WRU they had not been disadvantaged by getting the letter in September. They have since changed their view on that.
8) Why doesn’t the WRU just allow both clubs to be promoted?
That would be so unfair on all the clubs which diverted funds into achieving the criteria standards. They could have simply used their funds on players. It could be argued that might have changed a few results during the season. Anyway, as one Premiership official told the WRU – “You can’t change the rules of a race after it has been run.”
9) So Beddau and Bonymaen failed the criteria. By how much?
Both clubs have been checked against the criteria, Beddau’s indicative score was 97 and Bonymaen scored 85.5. The pass rate is 155.
10) No one likes to see winners lose out. What if the WRU loses the EGM vote?
This is about a point of principle and fairness of process. This is not about who won and who lost the Division One leagues.
There are some practical points too. The Division could remain as 14 clubs, which could trigger a legal challenge from a club facing relegation which passed the criteria by sticking to the agreed procedure. That decision could lead to yet another EGM. Another possible consequence of the WRU losing could be that the Premiership Division goes up to 16 clubs. That would mean less money from the WRU for each club in the Premiership. This option would also have a knock on effect on the number of clubs in other divisions and consequently affect fixtures.
11) What is the WRU doing about criteria compliance within the Premiership?
An important question this so it is one the WRU has addressed. Quite simply, any club in the Premiership for season 2007-2008 which fails the criteria won’t get any WRU funding or any allocation of international rugby match tickets. Premiership Division clubs must achieve the criteria by 24th August 2007 to avoid those sanctions.
12) There may be some other points we want to check before voting at the EGM.
Sure, this is an important issue for us all, so if you have a question please ask it. Get in touch with the WRU directly or through your District representative on the Board of Directors. You will get an answer.
13) When will the EGM be held?
It will take place at 11.00am on Sunday, 1st July 2007 at the Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot.
