Although he was not personally targeted by any charges, Phillips explained that he had "come to the conclusion that it is now time for someone else to show the way".

He had earlier attended a meeting on the establishment of a task force, announced on Friday by WRU Board Chairman Ieuan Evans, to investigate sexist, racist or homophobic behavior within the federation.

"I am very much in line with Ieuan's commitment to re-examining and improving our culture and behaviors at the federation and I give my full support to the new Independent Task Force. I'm glad I was able to start this process at WRU," Phillips said.

Nigel Walker, who until then was director of performance at the federation, has been appointed interim director general.

Up to the high spheres

This radical decision seemed inevitable after the indignation caused by the very strong testimonies revealed last Monday by the BBC, where women recounted the sexist words or behavior of which they had been victims for years and even in the high spheres of the WRU.

A man at the Welsh training center in Glamorgan in 2019 "said he wanted to rape me. Take me back to the hotel, tie me to the bed and rape me", explained Charlotte Wathan, who was then Director of Welsh Women's Rugby.

"I remember being sick, like after a punch in the stomach. I remember being in shock and saying to myself + did I really hear that? +".

"Everyone laughed," she continued, "I left the room and burst into tears."

The WRU had assured that it had commissioned an external investigation into these accusations, but the BBC had discovered that several witnesses present at that time had never been heard, no more than the accused man, who still works for the federation.

The Cardiff stadium (March 13, 2020), temple of the Welsh Rugby Federation currently shaken by the sexism scandal © GEOFF CADDICK / AFP/Archives

Amanda Blanc, CEO of the insurance group Aviva, and who for two years was president of the Welsh professional rugby council, had meanwhile left this function because she felt "not being listened to" about sexism within the club. 'institution.

"It's time for the WRU to rise to the occasion"

In her leaving speech in November 2021, she referred to a "frankly insulting discussion" where she was asked to reduce sanctions against a federation elected official who had claimed that "men are the superior race" and that women should "just iron".

A former WRU employee, interviewed on condition of anonymity by the BBC, even claimed to have written a letter for her husband in 2018 in case she committed suicide following sexist harassment.

The political world had seized on the question, the Welsh Labor MP Tonia Antoniazzi, former Welsh rugby international, denouncing facts "shocking and which cross the whole culture of Welsh rugby, unfortunately".

One of the main sponsors, the property company Principality Building, which gave its name to the national team stadium in Cardiff, had demanded "a quick and determined reaction" from the federation.

The Welsh players had also reacted via the WRPA, the association which represents the players of the four main teams: Dragons, Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff.

“It is time for the WRU and its management to take responsibility and live up to the inclusive values ​​that rugby loves to pride itself on,” they wrote.

© 2023 AFP