THE Welsh Rugby Union will today receive a formal request for a special EGM (extraordinary general meeting) which will call for a vote of no confidence in the whole board.

Yesterday's decision by the board to call a special general meeting of clubs at the Millennium Stadium on April 23 failed to quell the rebellion in their ranks over 'Ruddockgate' and other issues.

The requisite number of clubs, some from Gwent, demanding an EGM say the Union's actions yesterday were too little too late and a letter calling for the EGM was due to arrive at Union headquarters today. The EGM has to be held within 21 days of today's request although there has been speculation that the two meetings could be held on April 23.

The clubs claim paid WRU officials have abused their positions and say the Union board have allowed them "to run amok", failing to control them with the powers at their disposal.

One of the signatories to the call for an EGM told the Argus, "They (the Union) have had since last October to do what they are now doing and have refused to do so consistently even though it has been put to them time and again.

"They have been told that they are out of order on the constitution but they have continued in their old fashioned way until they now know an EGM is imminent."

The signatory said five issues would be put before the EGM, which the WRU have to call within 21 days.

1, The non appointment of a group chief executive following David Moffett's shock resignation in December.

2, The appointment of directors the Union don't have the power to appoint, directors who can only be appointed by the clubs.

3, The allocation of international tickets, which should all go to the clubs. 4, The general governance and management of the Union.

5, A vote of no confidence in the whole board.

"The board are the people who have allowed their employees to run amok," alleged the signatory.

"With the Mike Ruddock situation, the people who took the decision (to tell him to leave his post as coach immediately after he had signalled his intention to quit at the end of the Six Nations) didn't even have the courtesy to tell the board until the Thursday after they did what they did on the Tuesday.

"They were phoning up directors at 7 o'clock and 8 o'clock at night to tell them there was going to be a Press Conference at 9pm."

Yesterday the WRU board issued a short statement regarding the SGM, refusing to take questions. The statement read: "Following a meeting of the WRU board in Neath last night (Wednesday) it was decided the Union should call a SGM of the membership to debate the issues relating to the post of group chief executive.

"Concern was expre-ssed by members during our recent Redzone Roadshow regarding the position of a group chief executive.

"The clubs were already aware it was the board's intention to debate this issue fully and openly at the AGM in September. It is still the Union's intention to propose an alteration to Article 47 of the constitution at the AGM.

However, following concerns expressed... the board of directors has decided to call an SGM to debate the issue fully. The debate will bring the matter to a head and a resolution will follow."

The statement concluded by saying "this meeting in no way infringes or countermands the clubs' right to call for an EGM...if they still wish to." They do.