Rugby Football Union invite Rob Andrew as operation director
Rob Andrew the director of elite rugby for Rugby Football union has applied for operations director as expected after the restructuring of RFU by the newly joined chief executive John Steele.
Andrew threw his ball into Steele’s court and awaits the reply of the CEO.
The sudden pronouncement by Andrew, whose existing post is to be crumbed as an element of the recent developments in RFU, is a safe play by him. Though he will remain in his current post for the rest of Six Nations and probably until the World Cup starts.
John Steele’s refurbish will see all the rugby departments especially the elite department merge to originate a single streamlined rugby division. However, it will be divided into three fractions, with development, operations and performance directors to
be employed.
Rob Andrew is being considered as the leading candidate for the post for director operations. HE has played a major role in RFU as far as negotiations are concerned and is skilled in his job. He was the one who made the eight-year deal with the French Premiership
clubs possible. Since then he is highly rated and has been invited to apply for the operations job.
If Rob Andrew gets this job then he would have to look after a few sensitive entities like, referee development, growth of coaches below the international level and reviewing and supervising the tournament’s infrastructures that supports the playing of professional
rugby in England.
His duties will also include the reviewing of welfare of players, innovation in strategies and research on local grounds to improve the basic structure of department. Other than this player lifestyle, anti doping and negotiations with the Rugby Players’
Association will be involved in his role as director operations.
As far as Performance director position is concerned, Sir Clive Woodward is still the favourite for that post and is a firm contender for it. Although there has been no official statement given by him regarding this news neither there is any confirmation
that he has or has not applied for the post yet. Sir Clive Woodward, the 2003 World Cup winning coach is currently a director at British Olympic Association.
On the other hand, the 2007 World Cup winning coach for South Africa, Jake White was also expected to apply for the post, but a recent statement from him negated such assumptions. An RFU official confirmed while talking to media said that no information
regarding the recruitment will be leaked.
He said, “The recruitment process is entirely confidential and we will not comment further.”
Meanwhile, it was informed that Nick Eastwood rejected the invitation from RFU for the post of Chief Financial Officer. It is an improvised position created by John Steele to take in all union’s communal support services.
In any case, John Steele is determined to steer RFU to an even better place and flourish rugby. His main focus other than World Cup in not international rugby, but local ground level rugby. His approach towards strengthening the basics will be fruitful in
the end. The next World Cup that is to be hosted in 2015 in England is his goal. Steele is building up a structure that will not only bring up natural talent, but also guide it through all the phases of their career.
Tags: