'Grassroots rugby needs to feel valued by the RFU'

Grassroot rugby clubs have spoken out against the game's governing body in a dispute over funding and top executives getting six-figure bonuses.

The Rugby Football Union's (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney is facing criticism from clubs, which say they want the structure and finances of the sport drastically changed.

Clifton and Cinderford rugby clubs - in Bristol and Gloucestershire respectively - told the BBC the RFU gives them no support. Pete Bell, Cinderford RFC president, said: "We need change. We need the community game to feel valued, which we are not."

The RFU said it was investing £30m a year in to the community game for the next four years.

A large group of clubs across English rugby union - including 10 second-tier Championship clubs - called on Mr Sweeney to be sacked for a variety of complaints.

Among them was Mr Sweeney receiving a £1.1m compensation package at a time of record financial losses for the RFU and a round of job losses.

Speaking at a derby game between the two West Country clubs, Mr Bell said: "What do we get from the RFU? Zilcho.

"The wealthiest rugby union in the world, where the people at the top are getting an obscene amount of money. That's not me just saying it.

"They need us more than we need them because let's be honest, we won't get [Maro] Itojes on the England park without community rugby clubs like ours to put people on the park. It's as simple as that. Get real RFU, give us a little bit of love and recognition."

Matt Salter, director of rugby at Clifton RFC, said: "Rugby's about the community.

"Rugby's about people playing but also people supporting and being a part of something.

"We need to champion the game, the values that we've always had in rugby that we may not have sung from the rooftops over the last five or six years."

A spokesperson for the RFU said: "While the majority of club's are self-sustaining, the RFU funds insurance for all clubs and other things including coaching and match official qualifications, player welfare, competition management, programmes within schools rugby, off-field club support such as legal and licensing support, floodlight funding and over 145 full-time rugby development staff up and down the country."

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