LIONS manager Fran Cotton has stunned Twickenham officials by emerging as president of the new RFU Reform Group.
Ten days before the Lions set off on their tour of South Africa, Cotton has repeated his accusations that Rugby Football Union officials misled last year's a.g.m. and again called on RFU secretary Tony Hallett to resign.
The main point of contention revolves around one of the details of the RFU's deal with Sky TV and whether pay per view is in the contract.
The personal dispute underlying the TV row involves Hallett and. chairman of the executive committee Cliff Brittle, who is supported by Cotton.
Last month leaked documents about the TV issue were published in a national newspaper and at tomorrow's RFU committee meeting there will be an inquiry into the leak, with the probability that a rival to Brittle will stand against him at the July a.g.m.
All 2,000 clubs have been issued with "a party political broadcast," that accuses the RFU of spending "your money at the rate of £350,000 a year on misleading propaganda and repeating lies about the Sky contract."
Cotton said: "We know the a.g.m. was misled on several issues. It is disgraceful that anyone tries to cover up this sort of action towards its members. The secretary and those that condone these actions should resign immediately."
