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Welsh Rugby Union appoints Ieuan Evans' successor
By PA
Richard Collier-Keywood has been appointed as the Welsh Rugby Union’s first independent chair.
Collier-Keywood, a former senior adviser to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, will succeed Ieuan Evans in July.
He becomes the first appointed – rather than elected – WRU chair after a major overhaul of the organisation’s governance was voted through by its member clubs at an extraordinary general meeting in March.
“I am absolutely delighted to accept the role as chair of the WRU,” said Collier-Keywood, a former global vice-chair of PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers).
“Welsh rugby has always been hugely emotional for me and it is such a strength that there are millions of us that care and feel the same way.”
Collier-Keywood will be joined on the WRU’s new board by fellow independent non-executive director Alison Thorne.
Thorne, who was short-listed for the independent chair role, is currently chair of the National Dance Company Wales.
Evans added: “Our new-look board is beginning to take shape.
“I have every confidence that we will have the diversity of talent and skill-set to ensure our place in the elite women’s and men’s game and to continue to grow and support all sections of our community game, both male and female, when the process is complete.
“Welsh rugby will be rightly buoyed by these two new appointments, but these are just the first steps.
“Next, we will find our permanent CEO and fill the remaining INED position and vacancies.
“We will assemble a board which stands up to scrutiny and meets the highest standards of the rugby world and one that will make the nation proud in the years ahead.”
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Latest Comments
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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