Under-fire Welsh Rugby Union chair Collier-Keywood to step down
"We wanted to make this announcement to enable the recruitment process to start and before the EGM is held so everyone goes into the EGM process with the benefit of the same knowledge. " Collier-Keywood's departure comes at a time of chaos and uncertainty for the professional game in Wales. The WRU is pushing on with highly controversial plans to cut the number of men's teams from four - Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff, Dragons - to three by June 2027.
That proposal has been met with criticism, protests and legal action from both Scarlets and Swansea Council. Collier-Keywood has been forced to appear before politicians both in Wales and Westminster in recent months and has come under major criticism for his handling of the plans. "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," said Collier-Keywood, who was the first independent chair of the WRU.
"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. "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 is the second major figure to leave the governing body in recent weeks after Malcolm Wall, independent chair of the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) and WRU board member, left earlier this month at the end of his tenure. The former Harlequins chairman has been replaced on an interim basis by Marianne Okland. Collier-Keywood's three years in charge has coincided with a tumultuous period for Welsh rugby both on and off the field.
He took over in the wake of a sexism scandal and successfully brought about structural reform within the governing body. But he struggled to build harmony between the grassroots and executive. The national men's and women's teams have finished bottom of the Six Nations for the past two years - three in the case of the men - while the regional sides have struggled to compete in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Europe.