Welsh Rugby Union: Nigel Walker expresses remorse over misogyny, sexism and racism scandal

Phillips quit just five days after saying he remained the best person to lead the WRU.

The WRU stressed that no allegations were made against Phillips in the recent BBC programme and he was not accused of any wrongdoing.

However he faced mounting pressure to step down from all four regions, players and politicians while major sponsors also expressed concern over the allegations.

Amanda Blanc, who chaired Welsh rugby’s professional board between 2019 and 2021, warned the WRU it had a problem before the sexism claims emerged.

Ms Blanc, now chief executive of Aviva insurance company, told the WRU it had “deep-rooted” culture and behavioural problems, that a union-commissioned review into the women’s game was “insulting to women”.

Walker admitted the WRU would “possibly not” have been in this situation had they listened to Ms Blanc.

“We need people of Amanda Blanc’s qualities involved in the governance reforms which we are going to go through,” said Walker.

“We recognise we need to reform and we need to make sure there is a diversity of people and skills on that board and that all the components of what is a £100m business are represented. We are absolutely committed to that.”

The WRU aims to bring forward an extraordinary general meeting to March to try to get the clubs to vote for an independent chair, something the WRU could not push through at the last annual general meeting in October 2022.

Walker said: “Given where we are, if once we’ve explained the governance change we want and why, I would like to see the club that’s going to vote against that given the groundswell there is at this moment.”

Walker, 59, has stepped up from performance director until the WRU appoints Phillips’ long-term successor.