Outgoing RFU boss Ian Ritchie '˜no regrets' over appointment of Stuart Lancaster as England coach

Former England head coach Stuart Lancaster (left) and Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA

RFU chief executive Ritchie will retire at the end of the summer, with the governing body putting together a “high-quality shortlist”, according to chairman Andy Cosslett, as it sets about recruiting a replacement.

Ritchie accepted England’s abject failure at the 2015 World Cup - which signalled the end of Lancaster’s stay before Eddie Jones took charge to huge success - as the biggest regret of his tenure.

But the 63-year-old believes current Leinster coach Lancaster’s England reign helped build the best-ever relationships between the RFU and the English clubs.

“To be clear, I have no regrets about Stuart Lancaster at all, and I really feel for Stuart and what he put in and the whole coaching team,” said Ritchie.

“Eddie Jones just has that knack when it comes to fine margins.”

Having arrived at the RFU in a moment of crisis, Ritchie found himself battling the fallout from the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand that had seen Mike Tindall embroiled in a dwarf-throwing row and Manu Tuilagi jumping off a ferry in Auckland harbour.

Cosslett hailed Ritchie and his regime for transforming “a union at war with itself”, and Ritchie, who passed up the chance to pair Nick Mallett and Wayne Smith in favour of appointing former Leeds Tykes director of coaching Lancaster - initially on an interim basis - in December 2011, stands by that call.

“Of course you think about that, of course you think... and hindsight’s a wonderful thing,” Ritchie said. “Stuart is a highly talented, highly committed coach.”

Under Lancaster, England became the first hosts in World Cup history to fail to progress from the tournament’s pool stages in 2015.

“I still think Stuart did a huge number of positive things, but the ultimate is what we did (at the 2015 World Cup),” Ritchie said.

Asked if England’s performance at that tournament would remain the abiding regret of his RFU tenure, he replied: “Without question.

“As a regret, a home World Cup, not getting out of the pool stages, of course, it was huge.

“We thought it would be the chance of a lifetime, and it didn’t happen. And that’s it.

“Like all people who lose, you need to go onto what to do to make sure you win next time.

“That motivated me. We did try to deal with that, but you’ll never forget losing to Wales and Australia.

“It was a huge opportunity and we chose not to take it. But you then move on and deal with it.”