Steele Leaves England Rugby Post

John Steele has left his post as Rugby Football Union chief executive officer – after coming under pressure following the RFU’s search for a new elite performance director.

Steele removed overall responsibility for the senior England team from the performance director job description, reportedly to block the possible return of Sir Clive Woodward – although that decision was reversed following an emergency meeting of the board.

Woodward, who won the 2003 Rugby World Cup as England coach, is currently the director of sport at the British Olympic Association and deputy chef de mission for Team GB in London 2012.

Woodward then said he was not interested in a return to rugby union.

Steele, who took charge at Twickenham in September last year, admitted the search had not been conducted as he would have liked, but insisted that the speculation and criticism around the performance director role was out of proportion.

On 31st May Steele stated that he intended to see the job through: ‘People who know me will tell you, when I set my mind to do something, as I have here, I will see it through’.

The board of English rugby union’s governing body had given the former UK Sport chief executive its full support, although a review was set-up into how the recruitment process was handled.

That process ultimately led to Steele parting company with the RFU following an emergency board meeting on Thursday evening.

A statement issued by the RFU said: ‘The board of directors can confirm that John Steele has left the union with immediate effect’.

‘There is nothing more we can add while discussions are ongoing and we will update further as we are able’.