Robert Kitson ponders whether new RFU boss John Steele is in the right place at the right time in The Guardian.
"No chief executive of a major union has ever won a game of international rugby single-handed, although one or two would have you believe otherwise. It is a fact worth remembering as John Steele, the Rugby Football Union's new CEO, gets his feet under the desk at Twickenham this week. Having succeeded Francis Baron at the helm of the world's richest rugby nation it will, nevertheless, shortly fall to Steele to judge whether England's national team is set fair or whether a change of tack is worth considering.
"Steele, a well-organised fly-half in his playing days, is a thoroughly decent, level-headed bloke and may just prove the right man in the right job at the right time as far as the RFU is concerned. The union desperately needed someone with a rugby background and Steele, once of Northampton, London Scottish and the Army, has both played and coached at first-class level. His task is simple enough: to ensure England host a fine World Cup in 2015 and to help generate more on-field joy than there has been lately.
"Among other things, according to well-informed Twickenham sources, Steele will be looking at whether the atmosphere around the England squad has become too corporate and whether the players have become too isolated from the public. He will also, as part of his remit, be looking at whether the national team are thriving under the current regime. Martin Johnson and Rob Andrew, the RFU's elite rugby director, will have to answer to Steele, as well as the management board, if England fail to build on their summer victory in Sydney."
RSS feed
