England Rugby  April 2016 - In Review

NEWS

Rob Andrew will leave his role as RFU Director of Professional Rugby at the end of the current season. 

Andrew, who resigned from his position having instigated discussions with RFU CEO Ian Ritchie for a number of months, has agreed that he will continue to work on completing the latest agreement with Premiership Rugby that will run through till after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

“I hope and believe that I will leave a secure foundation to build a successful future and I will continue to give my support in any way I can to achieve this.”

and taking over is.................

USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville will join the RFU this summer as Director of Professional Rugby.

Melville will be responsible for professional rugby in England for the RFU, with particular focus around managing relationship with Premiership Rugby, the English Qualified Player scheme, the EPS agreement and the academy system.  He will also lead on the player development pathway for men and women and the sevens programmes.

He will take over the remits of Rob Andrew (Director of Professional Rugby) and Joe Lydon (Head of International Player Development) and will be a member of the Executive reporting to Ian Ritchie.

Ian Ritchie, CEO of the RFU said: “We are delighted to welcome Nigel to the RFU in what is an exciting time for England Rugby for both the men’s and women’s games. He will bring a great deal of expertise from not only his experiences from working in England but internationally at USA Rugby.”

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On Saturday April 2, over 50 Young Rugby Ambassadors (YRAs) bundled into the Ricoh Arena in Coventry for the first ever YRA Leadership Conference.

The YRA Leadership Conference was created to give young volunteers the chance to learn more about the YRA programme, get to know other YRAs from around the country and develop their skills as future leaders in rugby.

Click HERE to view a video of the event.

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The RFU has  appointed Joanna Manning-Cooper to the new role of Director of Digital, Marketing and Communications.  she will join the RFU at the beginning of May and will be responsible for the digital, marketing and communications strategy, integration, planning and delivery. Her remit will include England Rugby content and channels, team and corporate communications, media relations and media operations, CRM, the England Rugby brand as well as setting and delivering the fan's stadium spectator experience and matchday sports presentation.

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Maggie Alphonsi, former England Women’s player, Women’s Rugby World Cup Winner and TV personality has been announced as the official ambassador for the Spirit of Rugby.

Click HERE to view a video message from Maggie.

 Videos:  

Chris Ashton chats to sportsbeat about his England hopes

England Elite:      

England Summer Tour Fixtures Australia 2016  It will be first time in the century-old rivalry between Australia and England that the two nations will meet in a three-Test series. 

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England Rugby announced that Neal Hatley has agreed to join Eddie Jones’ coaching staff as scrum coach at the end of the 2015/16 season.

Hatley joins the England setup from Bath Rugby where he has been working as scrum and defence coach since 2012. Prior to that the 46 year-old former prop was head of London Irish’s academy and scrum coach, a position he took up after he retired from the professional game in 2007.

Hatley will work two days a week with the England team and the rest of his time will be spent working in the RFU’s player development pathway. 

England Women

England Women's 7s Win in Langford 2016

England Women have finished third in the World Rugby HSBC Women’s Sevens Series in Atlanta after beating Canada 26-14 in the bronze final.

The side enjoyed a successful first day to finish top of their pool, beating World Series leaders Australia, Fiji and Colombia to take on Russia in the Cup quarter finals on Saturday.

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Men's 7s 

For the first time, domestic sevens festivals will be affiliated by England Rugby and aligned under the 24/Sevens competition structure. The new series will increase quality playing opportunities at recreational and competitive level for male and female teams.

Local qualifier winners will progress to regional play offs with the competition culminating in a showpiece national grand final event with 24 teams at the end of July, hosted by England Rugby.

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Mitsubishi  Motors to become Title Partner of Exeter leg of the Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series  as part of relationship.

The  (RFU) has announced a partnership with Mitsubishi Motors, who will become an Official Partner of England Rugby from the start of the 2016/17 season.

The long-term relationship will see the Mitsubishi Motors logo feature on the front of next season’s England U18 and U20 playing and training kits.