Bill Sweeney Breaks His Silence
The Good, The Bad & The Rugby
Folding Pocket
4.5 • 2.5K Ratings
🗓️ 22 January 2025
⏱️ 92 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this gripping episode of The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby, Alex, Hask, and Tins sit down with Bill Sweeney, the embattled CEO of the RFU, as he faces mounting scrutiny from every corner of England.
With an SGM looming, record financial losses, grassroots discontent, and criticism from players, fans, and referees alike, Sweeney breaks his silence. From the future of the Championship to the controversial bonus payments and the state of English rugby at all levels.
This is a critical conversation about leadership, and whether Sweeney and the RFU are fit for purpose in 2025 & beyond.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | He is dubbed Rugby's Most Wanted Man right now, Bill Sweeney's CEO of the RFU. |
| 0:05.2 | It is the L-TIP bonus that has got people absolutely fuming. |
| 0:08.8 | We didn't request an L-Tip. |
| 0:10.2 | We had no say in the quantum of it. |
| 0:11.8 | I will always look at this period as probably one of my greatest achievements is the finances |
| 0:15.6 | of the RFU. |
| 0:16.3 | Is the RFU fit for purpose? |
| 0:17.8 | Yeah, I do think it is, but I do think there are changes necessary. |
| 0:21.4 | What is the number one problem that you have to solve? I don't think we're attracting |
| 0:25.7 | young people into the game. What you're asking for is complete revolution. You're talking |
| 0:30.8 | about completely... I don't think we're the only one. I think the game is at the point where |
| 0:34.5 | revolution, otherwise it's... You'd have to turn up the whole constitution, the RFU, you'd have to... |
| 0:39.1 | We're ready to go. |
| 0:40.4 | Have you got the energy to turn this round? |
| 0:42.4 | The easiest thing to do now would be, say, right, about enough of this stuff. |
| 0:45.3 | I can't do that. |
| 0:46.1 | I wouldn't do that. |
| 0:46.9 | We've got some great stuff, and we're trying to keep this side going forward. Haskell takes it on now with just relentless chat largely about himself. |
| 0:57.8 | And there's Tyndall to add the finishing touch of glamour and World Cup winning stories. |
| 1:02.6 | That is how you podcast. |
| 1:05.1 | Hello, Dream Team. |
| 1:06.3 | Welcome along to this week's episode of The Good, the Bad and the Rugby. |
... |
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