An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), which was scheduled for later this month, has been postponed until further notice given the current Government advice regarding the Coronavirus pandemic.
A requisition, signed by 34 member clubs, received at the end of February, triggered the EGM which was since called for 29th March.
The clubs requisitioned the meeting to appeal for the current section of funding allocated to all community clubs based on a points system - governed by the WRU’s annual ‘audit’ of their respective rugby activities and provisions – to revert to terms used in the previous season.
The ’audit’ is a points-based system through which the WRU allocates £1.8m of the £2.8m direct funding received by clubs in Wales.
The criteria are reviewed annually to ensure clubs are encouraged to embrace the WRU community game strategy and can lead to different funds being allocated to individual clubs year on year, although the total money issued across all clubs is ringfenced and cannot decrease.
The decision to postpone the EGM was taken by the WRU Board and the Union has issued a letter to member clubs to advise them of the situation, which reads: "You will no doubt be aware of the recent change in Government advice regarding the Coronavirus situation and the guidance now to avoid any 'non-essential' contact.
"As such – and given that this is a rapidly changing exceptional situation - we have no alternative other than to postpone the Extraordinary General Meeting that was scheduled for 29 March 2020 until further notice."
"In light of the current Government advice, it would be inappropriate to hold a meeting with a large number of attendees at this time."
Meanwhile, the election process to find a new WRU National Council Member – to replace Mark Taylor – is progressing.
Valid nominations have been received for three candidates, with two distinguished former Wales internationals Ieuan Evans and Nigel Davies and the Old Illtydians chairman John Manders standing for the single position.
Evans is the former Wales and British & Irish Lions and Scarlets wing who has 79 international caps, captained his country 28-times and has more recently worked as a television pundit for Sky, BBC and ITV whilst also holding Board positions with the likes of Welsh Tourist Board and VisitBritain.
Davies is also a former Wales and Scarlets player, with 29 caps, who went on to coach both the region and his country. He is currently chief executive at Merthyr and is a former head coach at Ebbw Vale but has also worked for the WRU’s rugby department and served as director of rugby at Gloucester.
Manders is a stalwart of Old Illtydians rugby club serving multiple roles including chairman and team manager who has been described as the "heartbeat of the club" and is a former sergeant with South Wales Police. After retiring from the Police service he has continued to work as an assessor, lectures in law at the University of South Wales, is also artistic director at Tickledom Theatrical Productions and a director of learning at Credwch Ltd.
Clubs will shortly receive ballot papers in order to vote for their preferred candidates with the closing date for votes being 30 April.
