RFU spinning in circles over new director role

The RFU’s double u-turn over the job description for the vacant performance director role exposed potentially damaging divisions in the senior management at Twickenham.

Steele’s proposal to downgrade the position by removing all influence over the senior England team was approved unanimously by the management board and announced on Tuesday.

But at an emergency meeting on Thursday the board voted to reverse that decision. The new performance director will be England manager Martin Johnson’s direct boss, although he will not have any involvement at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Former Leeds Carnegie and current England Saxons coach Stuart Lancaster has been linked to the position, but it is understood the RFU’s volte-face was prompted by some officials growing concerned that watering down the job had been interpreted as closing the door on a return for Sir Clive Woodward.

England’s 2003 World Cup-winning coach has been favourite for the position from its creation in January and has influential supporters inside Twickenham.

n Yorkshire travel to Fylde to take on Roses rivals and defending champions Lancashire in a game they must win to have any chance of reaching the county championship final.

Yorkshire began the three-game Northern Division One campaign with an 18-10 defeat to Cheshire at Sheffield.