Sawt Falasteen - English rugby boss vows to stay on despite pay row

Sweeney said a special general meeting (SGM) of England's governing Rugby Football Union, where the only item currently on the agenda is a move to terminate his employment, would take place on March 27.

That will be after the upcoming Six Nations where a struggling England men's side will be desperate to improve the mood.

The outcry engulfing Sweeney started in November with the revelation he was paid £1.1 million ($1.4 million) for the 2023/24 financial year, which included a bonus of £358,000, despite the RFU reporting a record annual operating loss of £37.9 million.

The financial figures also came on the back of a 2024 where England won just five out of 12 Tests -- a sequence that included five straight defeats and three losses in a row at their Twickenham headquarters.

In all, 141 of the RFU's member clubs and institutions have called for a SGM, easily exceeding the 100 signatories required under its rules.

Tom Ilube, stood down as RFU chairman last month in response to the row, with Bill Beaumont, the ex-England captain and former World Rugby chairman, installed as interim RFU chairman.

But Sweeney said the SGM cannot sack him directly, telling a Twickenham news conference on Thursday: "That's up for the board to consider when the vote comes out."

Sweeney added he had had no thoughts of quitting his post or standing down after this year's Women's Rugby World Cup in England, where the home side are favourites for the title.

"I've never thought about stepping down...I saw something about it being timed until the end of the Women's World Cup because I was getting a bonus for the performance of the (England) women in the World Cup, that's nonsense."

Sweeney, who added he is determined to carry on until the 2027 Men's World Cup, defended his record.

"I came in in May 2019, we had £0.7 million reserves, we had £79 million debt and where we sit now, we've got £59 million cash, we've got zero bank debt, we've got £80 million in reserves and we're in a solid financial state, having lost £150 million worth of revenue during Covid," he added.

- 'Unfinished business' -

He added the RFU's financial position meant it could spend £30 million a year for the next four years on community rugby.

"I think there's unfinished business here and I'm the right person to see it through...The biggest satisfaction I get out of this job is I think I am adding value to a sport I love. The moment I feel I am not adding value then I would go."

Sweeney said the RFU always made a significant loss in a men's Rugby World Cup year such as 2023 because of the lack of money-spinning November internationals at Twickenham, a ground with a capacity of 80,000.

Asked if he understood the anger about his bonus payments, Sweeney replied: "Of course I do..That's why I had a preference for it to be deferred.

"We'd gone through a restructuring exercise, which resulted in 27 redundancies, and there's a long-term retention bonus being paid there. So I absolutely get why there was a lot of concern and a negative reaction."

England begin their Six Nations campaign against champions Ireland in Dublin on February 1, with Sweeney saying he had not set a win target for coach Steve Borthwick.

"My principal role is to make sure that Steve has got everything he needs to do the job he has to do," said Sweeney.

O.Mousa--SF-PST