Cover Stories
Search Begins for Baron’s Successor
Peter Thomas
Francis Baron OBE
RFU Chief Executive Francis Baron OBE, recently announced his intention to retire from the role at the Union’s next Annual General Meeting in July 2010. Francis joined the RFU in October 1998 and has shepherded the organisation through the changing landscape of rugby for over 11 years. Francis Baron said, “I will be entering my 65th year next year and I felt it was the right time to set my retirement date to enable an orderly transition to my successor. It will enable him or her to have a full year in office prior to a change in the Chairmanship of the RFU in 2011 and the World Cup in New Zealand later that year, together with ensuring senior management continuity through a period of change. “July 2010 also provides a natural break point for me. All elements of the South Stand re-development project will have been completed by then and, having secured the World Cup for England in 2015, the establishment of the 2015 operating company will need to commence in earnest in the following season. Clearly my successor should lead on this and have a blank sheet of paper to work with. “By July I will have had nearly 12 memorable years with many high points and will have visited hundreds of clubs all over the country and met many outstanding volunteers who do so much to run the Community game. I am pleased I will be passing on to my successor a financially strong Union with a strong management team implementing a clear eight year Strategic Plan supported by long term agreements with all our key commercial partners – Sky, Nike, O2, Investec, Compass, Marriott and Virgin.” During his tenure he has turned round the RFU commercially and financially and today the net worth of the organisation stands at £150m with a turnover in the past year of £119m with a net profit of £9m compared to losses when he arrived of £10m. As a result RFU investment in the game at both Community and Elite levels has reached record levels. On the field the England team won a Rugby World Cup in 2003 and reached another final in 2007. He has overseen an exceptional growth in the grassroots game with adult participation overall up 12% since 2003 and in particular the mini and junior rugby up 49% in the same period. Chief among his off field achievements has been the re-development of the Southern end of the Stadium which will be finally completed in December 2009. Today the complex comprises 80,000 square feet of conference and event space, a 4 star Marriott hotel, a concert venue, a Virgin Active Classic Health club, a Rugby Store and the new RFU corporate offices. John Owen, President of the RFU, commented, “I would like to thank Francis for his outstanding contribution to the RFU in nearly 12 years as CEO. I have had the privilege of working with Francis since the day he arrived at the RFU, and have served with him on the Management Board since 2001, and have witnessed the total commitment he has given to his job. When it would have been easier to sit in Twickenham and manage the game from there he got out to the grassroots game. I have lost count of the clubs he and I have visited together and where he has shown his passion and intelligence in helping grow the game. The advent of professionalism had the potential to blow the game off course but Francis has always kept a firm hand on the tiller and the position that rugby in England finds itself today is entirely thanks to his unstinting hard work and focus.” The RFU Management Board has been authorised by the RFU Council to lead the search for Francis’ successor and will cast the net widely in search of candidates able to bring the right experience and mix of skills to the complex role. Martyn Thomas, chairman of the Management Board, added, “I have worked closely with Francis since my election as Chairman in 2005. His achievements are many and his legacy will be everlasting with the financial transformation of the Union and the South Stand complex and hotel set to play a major role in the RFU over the coming years. None of it would have been possible without his vision and drive. I would also like to thank him for leading the executive team that delivered our successful bid for RWC 2015. It is typical of Francis’ approach that he had the foresight to take a difficult decision for him personally but one that was in the best long term interests of the RFU.” Francis Baron intends to remain actively involved in rugby and will be available to support the Union in a non- executive capacity should that be required as well as looking for other non-executive director roles.
England Women Beat World Champions at Twickenham
Julia Hutton
England Women recorded their first victory over world champions New Zealand in eight years on November 21st in the Investec Challenge Double Header at Twickenham with an impressive 10-3 win. England, who last defeated the triple world champions in 2001, bounced back from a 16-3 defeat seven day earlier to record the historic win just nine months before the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 in London. The Red Roses, playing in front of a record crowd of 12,500, were in impressive form, scoring the only try of the match courtesy of skipper Catherine Spencer. The Bristol No.8, on her 50th cap, also went on to win the Investec Women of the Match award. Vice-captain Katy McLean also stoked over the conversion and a second half drop goal. England Head Coach Gary Street said: “It was brilliant to win at Twickenham in front of our biggest ever crowd. Hopefully we have showed the people watching here and watching on sky what a fantastic sport this is, and how skilful the women’s game is at this level too. “We won the game because of our physicality, our defence was tremendous and we really believed in ourselves. Catherine Spencer put on one of the great Twickenham performances. To come out and play as well as she did being captain and earning her 50th cap is amazing. She is a tremendous athlete and brilliant leader of this team. “From here now the important thing is that we keep moving forward and improving. We know that winning the world cup is not a pipe dream anymore, we can do it and that is our goal for the next nine months.”
Guarantee a Place at Rugby World Cup 2011
England fans can now guarantee their place at Rugby World Cup 2011 after England Rugby Travel confirmed its status as an Official Travel Agent of Rugby World Cup 2011, New Zealand. England Rugby Travel is the official travel company for England Rugby and will be offering a range of supporter travel packages that include travel, accommodation and officially allocated match tickets. Supporters are able to ‘advance register’ their interest on-line now at www.englandrugbytravel.com/RWC2011 with an easy and accessible on-line service. England Rugby Travel’s official ticket-inclusive fans packages will be available to purchase in the early part of 2010. England Team Manager Martin Johnson, who captained the national team to its win over Australia in Sydney in 2003 and played in two other Rugby World Cups, said, “Rugby World Cup 2011 will take over New Zealand for the whole year building up to the tournament as well as during the six weeks it takes place.” Johnson, who features in an exclusive England Rugby Travel on-line video interview at www.englandrugbytravel.com/RWC2011, added: “It’s one of the biggest sporting occasions in the world and I meet so many people who have been to a Rugby World Cup. They say it’s one of the best trips they’ve ever done in their lives and they create so many special memories. “Travelling on an official supporter package with England Rugby Travel is the best way to enjoy the tournament, the country and the entire Rugby World Cup experience.” The official packages for Rugby World Cup 2011, New Zealand, will include a variety of England’s opening pool fixtures, including two eagerly anticipated head-to-heads with Argentina (Saturday 10 September – Christchurch) and Scotland (Saturday 1 October – Auckland), as well as clashes with qualifiers from Europe (Sunday 18 September – Christchurch) and the Repechage play-off (Saturday 24 September – Dunedin) fixtures. Supporters will also have the chance to book their place at all of the knock-out phase fixtures, with packages offering options for both quarter-finals that Martin Johnson’s men could reach, both semi-finals, and of course the fabulous occasion of the Final of Rugby World Cup at the redeveloped Eden Park on 23 October 2011. As an Official Travel Agent of Rugby World Cup 2007, England Rugby Travel sold more than 14,000 official packages with tickets to follow England on their journey to the final in Paris four years ago. RFU Elite Rugby Director, Rob Andrew, who played in three Rugby World Cups including the inaugural one in 1987, said, “Rugby World Cups are an experience of a life time. The tournaments have got better and better, and bigger and bigger. There’s been a huge increase in the number of England Rugby fans supporting and following the team overseas, especially at tournaments like the Rugby World Cup. New Zealand is a very special place and a beautiful country, and fans are going to have a great time seeing the country and following the tournament.” Paul Vaughan, the RFU’s Business Operations Director and Managing Director of England Rugby Travel, said,“Everyone within the England Rugby set-up is extremely proud of the supporter community that follows the national side, both at Twickenham and at all of the away games. England Rugby Travel has shown over the last few years that it offers supporter travel packages that meet the requirements of the fans. “We were very pleased to be appointed an Official Travel Agent of Rugby World Cup 2007, and the appointment for the tournament in New Zealand in 2011 will build on this. We will be offering a range of travel packages that meet the needs of the supporters and the on-line advance registration process will allow them to secure their place in the queue to get themselves to New Zealand.” Visit www.englandrugbytravel.com/rwc2011 for more information on England Rugby Travel’s Rugby World Cup 2011 appointment and how to advance register for New Zealand.
