Thomas Continues RFU Acting CEO

The Rugby Football Union has temporarily rejigged its management structure until a new chief executive officer is appointed.

Martyn Thomas will continue as acting chief executive until a new CEO is in place, while senior non-executive Peter Baines steps in as chairman.

Thomas and Baines will revert to their previous positions when John Steele's successor starts.

Steele left his RFU post over the hunt for a new elite performance director.

This temporary structure has been put in place to address governance issues.

The search for a new CEO, which will be carried out by a panel, is expected to take between six to nine months.

By the end of the week the panel chairman is to be appointed.

Steele had removed overall responsibility for the senior England team from the job description for elite performance director, seemingly to block the possible return of 2003 World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward.

But that decision was reversed following an emergency meeting of the RFU board.

Woodward, currently director of sport at the British Olympic Association and deputy chef de mission for Team GB at London 2012, subsequently said he was not interested in a return to rugby union.