Fresh twist in Welsh rugby saga as top official makes bold call ahead of vote of no confidence
Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chair Richard Collier-Keywood has announced that he will step down from his position at the end of his term in July.
Collier-Keywood confirmed that he will not stand for a second term, which means his stint as chair will be concluded at the end of his current three-year term on July 16.
News of his impending departure comes as the latest twist in the ongoing saga in Welsh rugby and comes as he faces a vote of no confidence at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the governing body which is set to be held in Cardiff on April 13.
Vote of no confidence due to controversy over WRU proposals
The vote of no confidence against him was made due to the controversy over proposals to cut the number of Welsh professional teams from four to three by 2027.
Collier-Keywood said he would serve out the remainder of his term, subject to the outcome of the vote. A successor will be appointed via an open and thorough recruitment process.
“It has been a tremendous privilege to serve as the first independent WRU chair. My term as chair comes to an end in July 2026 and I have been reflecting with the board on what should happen next,” said Collier-Keywood.
“We wanted to make this announcement to enable the recruitment process to start and before the EGM is held on 13 April 2026 so everyone goes into the EGM process with the benefit of the same knowledge.
“Over the course of the last few years, the new board has made key decisions unanimously despite the very difficult choices we have had to face. I am fully committed to serving out the remainder of my term, subject of course, to the outcome of the EGM.
“The people I have had the pleasure of working with in the WRU and outside, and the importance of and passion for rugby in Wales, have been a source of continued inspiration to me in carrying out this role.
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‘Pleased to leave with two Welsh head coaches in place’
“I am pleased to leave with two Welsh head coaches in place with Steve Tandy and Sean Lynn and I am looking forward to watching from the terraces as our teams go from strength to strength.”
Collier-Keywood was appointed as chair in 2023, after 97 per cent of the WRU’s member clubs voted in favour of the new independent board structure.
Senior independent director and WRU board member, Alison Thorne, thanked Collier-Keywood for his service to the organisation.
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“On behalf of the board I want to thank Richard for his incredible hard work and dedication over the last three years,” she said.
“He can be very proud of integrating and leading a new board of elected members and independent non-executives to create a new strategy and direction for a sustainable rugby future in Wales.
“He inherited a very difficult financial position and an organisation with cultural problems. He has led from the front in terms of culture change and significantly improved our financial position, culminating in the refinancing in January 2026 as a platform for future stability and growth.
“Richard has built a genuinely diverse board that brings together expertise from Welsh rugby, from business and from the communities we serve.”
The WRU will now begin its formal, open recruitment process for a new independent chair. Full details of the process and the criteria for the role will be published shortly.