Andrew Gets Top Job

Rob Andrew has won the race to become the Rugby Football Union's new elite director of rugby.

The former England fly-half has been chosen ahead of some other high-profile candidates, including World Cup-winning mastermind Sir Clive Woodward and former Australia coach Eddie Jones.

The position of elite director was created following the recent revamp of England's coaching set-up, which is supposed to repair the deficiencies that had resulted in England losing more than half their matches since their victory in the 2003 World Cup. It is likely that the main reason Andrew was chosen is that in the course of his 11 years as rugby director with Newcastle Falcons he has forged good relations with the other Premiership clubs, with whom he will have to work closely. Brokering a lasting deal with the clubs to cover how often players are released for international duty will be one of his key tasks.

Andrew will resign from Newcastle, where he won one Premiership and two English knock-out competitions, and start his new job on September 1.

The 43-year-old will head up a department that includes all England representative teams from the senior side through to the under-18s, plus national and regional academies, elite referees, sports science and medicine.

Woodward, currently director of football at Southampton, had been in the frame for a Twickenham return almost two years after he quit as England head coach in a pre-emptive protest at England's failure to build on their World Cup triumph.

"Rob is the best person for the job," said RFU chief executive Francis Baron, who was joined on the interview panel by RFU management board chairman Martyn Thomas, Club England chairman John Spencer and England's International Rugby Board representative Bill Beaumont.

"The fact that he came through a very competitive field, with some superb candidates competing for the elite rugby director role, says much about the way he impressed the interview panel with his vision and ideas.

"Following the decisions resulting from the Six Nations review in April 2006, we set ourselves the target of appointing a new England coaching team prior to the June tour to Australia, and a new elite rugby director by the start of the 2006/07 season.

"Both objectives have been met."

Andrew's appointment was also welcomed by Premier Rugby, the umbrella organisation for England's Premiership clubs that has endured a difficult relationship with the RFU.

"We look forward to working with Rob and beginning meaningful discussions on a framework which can provide for a winning England team, as well as supporting growth and success, both domestically and in Europe, for our club sides," said Premier Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty.

Andrew is succeeded as Newcastle chief by the club's academy boss John Fletcher with immediate effect.

Andrew said: "I would like to thank Newcastle Falcons for giving me 11 very memorable years of club rugby.

"We achieved a lot during my time at the club, developed a lot of exciting players and the support I had from the board, players and supporters was invaluable throughout my time.

"Moving away from Newcastle Falcons has of course been a difficult decision for me to make, but the challenge offered by the elite rugby director role was one I couldn't turn down."