Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney has defended his position, insisting he is the right man to lead English rugby despite recent turmoil within the sport.
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Speaking to the Telegraph, Sweeney, who received a £16,000 pay rise for the 2022-23 season, acknowledged the challenges faced, including the collapse of three Premiership clubs during that period. However, he maintained confidence in his leadership.
“It’s probably for others to say if they don’t feel I am the right person to do it,” said Sweeney, speaking publicly for the first time in more than nine months. “I personally feel I am, given my experience, given my background, my balance of business and sport, I feel I am the right person to do that.”
England prop Joe Marler appeared to take a stand on social media, endorsing criticism aimed at the RFU. Marler retweeted a message from former Premiership player Guy Thompson, who expressed frustration over Sweeney’s leadership.
Thompson’s tweet read: “£600,000 salary a year for a game in disarray, an international team ranked 8th, participation dropping, and four clubs out of business. Who is accountable for his job? He should be sacked, and an independent review launched to rebuild rugby.”
“Early again” – England get another easy group in 2027 Rugby World Cup draw
During the draw, the 24 participating teams will be divided into six pools, each consisting of four teams. Notably, this draw will transpire before the regional qualifiers have concluded, resulting in a dual-world approach.
On one side, we have the twelve automatic qualifiers from the 2023 Rugby World Cup, confirmed by their names. On the other side, the regional qualifiers will be represented as Africa 1, Europe 1, Europe 2, and so forth.
Rugby World Cup 2027 is set to be hosted in Australia, marking the eleventh edition of the Men’s Rugby World Cup and the third time it will take place in Australia. The country previously co-hosted the inaugural Rugby World Cup with New Zealand in 1987 and served as the sole host in 2003.
With the current World Rankings in mind, let’s delve into how the 2027 Rugby World Cup will shape up via Rugby Centre.
2027 Rugby World Cup draw (Current rankings)
POOL A
- South Africa
- Australia
- Portugal
- Spain
POOL B
- France
- Fiji
- Tonga
- Chile
