St Helens chairman throws support behind Nigel Wood with explosive statement as ‘shameful’ claim made

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus has thrown his full support behind the return of Nigel Wood to the Rugby Football League in a statement which labels those criticising Wood as ‘shameful’.

Wood, who previously spent over a decade-and-a-half working for the game’s governing body, saw his return to the RFL as interim chairman announced last week.

Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont and Leeds Rhinos chief Gary Hetherington were among those pushing for Wood to return as countless figures resigned from their RFL roles over the last few weeks.

When the decision was announced, it was met by plenty of backlash – and there were Super League clubs who actually refused to back it including Saints’ local rivals Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves.

Eamonn McManus: ‘We clearly seek to be the best governed bankrupt sport in the world’

But Saints and McManus are firmly in the ‘for’ Wood camp, as evidenced by the lengthy statement released on their club website on Friday evening.

That statement reads: “Like most people in rugby league, I’ve been rendered dizzy by the self-congratulatory resignations from the board of the RFL recently.

“Some even perversely set out their personal CVs as if to introduce themselves to the sport and to its followers. Even the International Rugby League board momentarily woke up to join in the back-slapping jamboree.

“Added to the mix have been the tiresomely predictable anonymous open letters, without quoting a scintilla of fact or backed by a shred of evidence, referring to misogyny and governance models.

“We clearly seek to be the best governed bankrupt sport in the world.

“It will be revealing to see who will constitute the RFL’s replacement board: a continuation of the same old, same old, as appointed by the current board, or a new well qualified board pursuant to legally binding acceptance of the issued resolution of its members.

“In any event, it all indicates that immediate change and improvement is critical. Let us hope that the best qualified people are put in place to take on the incredibly challenging tasks at hand.”

‘We are fortunate that Nigel Wood has been proposed and volunteered to act as an interim chair of the RFL’

McManus’ statement was released ahead of Saints‘ home clash with Warrington at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

And despite the two clubs’ differing opinions on Wood, the Wire’s owner Simon Moran has actuallybeen  name-checked in a positive manner by McManus.

His statement continues: “We are fortunate that Nigel Wood has been proposed and has volunteered, without compensation, to act as an interim chair of the RFL and to chair an independent strategic working party comprising of Lord Jonathan Caine, Emma Rosewarne, Abi Ekoku, and Dermot Power – each of them is passionate and knowledgeable of our sport and brilliantly qualified to advise.

“Domestically, the last four years have seen a £30 million per year downturn in the financial performance of our sport.

“Super League clubs and their owners pay £5 million per year to the RFL for their services: the above clearly indicates that we are not getting value for money and have witnessed a major destruction in shareholder value.

“On the international front, we experienced a loss-making World Cup in 2022, despite considerable government support, followed by the announcement of the next World Cup in France only for it to be withdrawn shortly afterwards.

“Our England men’s team played in front of two men et un chien in France, sandwiched between two cobbled-together loss-making series against Tonga and Samoa.

“Thank goodness Simon Moran of Warrington Wolves has assumed the reins to promote the likely Ashes series this autumn.

“The final international debacle was the recent public execution and national humiliation of our gallant England girls at the hands of the long-time professionalised Australian Jillaroos on the high-profile stage of Vegas.

“Unsurprisingly, no one assumed responsibility for the insane decision to hold this fixture and thereby destroy the hard-earned confidence and exuberance of our girls.

“However, at least RFL directors and senior executives were there in force expressing how much they were enjoying the trip: so everything is fine then. Maybe they could have spent their time conducting a misogyny review on the trauma inflicted on our brave women’s team instead.”

‘There could be no better qualified or motivated person than Nigel Wood to grab the game by the scruff of the neck’

Having spent circa 20 years in Hong Kong working in investment banking earlier in his career, McManus has been at the heart of Saints for over two decades now.

His statement concludes: “There could be no better qualified or motivated person than Nigel Wood to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, now that it has been left rudderless, and to seek to address its many recent abject failures.

“I trust that he will be joined by similarly qualified people. During his previous 16-year career at the RFL, Nigel negotiated four broadcast deals, each of which doubled in value that of its predecessor.

“Each year the RFL broke even or was profitable, and each year the central distributions to clubs increased: heady days indeed.

“More importantly, Nigel is a rugby league man to his boots and totally committed to its success. He has my full confidence and support.

“He is currently on the receiving end of a clearly coordinated campaign to undermine his good name, track record, and achievements.

“If you didn’t know better, you may think that some people may be worried about the changes which his arrival may result in. It really is shameful.

“Nigel has also inherited the greatest hospital pass in the history of our sport: the longstanding psychodrama that is all things Salford.

“He’s left behind a happy and contented semi-retirement to deal with this and other seemingly intractable problems. I applaud him and support him.”