Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney's future will be voted on by clubs across England after his critics forced the governing body to call a crisis summit.
The RFU had rejected a petition on Thursday,saying it lacked the number of signatures needed to trigger a meeting of its near 2,000 clubs and organisations.
The rebel movement against Sweeney accused the RFU of "merely postponing the inevitable", insisted it had the support required under constitutional rules and would resubmit its paperwork to prove it.
Within 24 hours, the RFU has conceded a special general meeting, to discuss a motion calling for Sweeney's removal "as soon as practicably possible", will be held after the men's Six Nations concludes on 15 March. An exact date will be announced within two weeks.
While Sweeney retains the support of the RFU board, who ultimately decide his future, a significant vote against him from members would ratchet up the pressure.
"The notice to request an SGM contained a significant number of inaccuracies, however, the RFU respects the right of its members to call for an SGM and for their views to be heard," read a statement from the governing body.
Bill Beaumont, who served as World Rugby chair until last year, was brought back to the RFU as interim chairman after the crisis, fuelled by anger over bonuses paid to Sweeney and other executives, prompted Tom Ilube to step down from the role.
Beaumont has written to the RFU's member clubs, defending the RFU management and calling for unity. He admitted, though, there are justifiable concerns around a bonus scheme that resulted in Sweeney being paid £1.1m in a financial year which also included record financial losses for the RFU, job losses and a poor run of form from England's men's team.
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