RFU council member resigns over Alphonsi post

Matthew Smith resigned from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) council on March 18, 2024, following a discriminatory social media post targeting television pundit Maggie Alphonsi. Smith, who was a representative for the Barbarians, published comments on X (formerly Twitter) that were widely condemned as offensive and inappropriate. The RFU's professional rugby board and executive team reviewed the incident, and Smith subsequently submitted his resignation. The RFU stated that while they encourage open discussion, discriminatory or abusive behavior is unacceptable and goes against the organization's values. Smith's resignation was accepted by the RFU council.