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RFU name the chair for its newly-created professional rugby board

By PA
Performance boss Conor O'Shea (right) in conversation with RFU CEO Bill Sweeney (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Mike McTighe has been appointed chair of the newly-created professional rugby board (PRB), the RFU have announced. Joining McTighe on the board are independent non-executive directors Rachel Baillache and Ged Roddy.

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The PRB has been created to oversee the professional game partnership (PGP), the recently announced eight-year agreement that is designed to deliver “world-leading English teams and thriving professional leagues”.

As part of the arrangement, England head coach Steve Borthwick has the scope to place up to 25 players on enhanced elite player squad contracts, giving him final say on their medical and sports science matters. Borthwick has so far issued 17 contracts.

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Rassie Erasmus on facing England at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

The Springboks will be bracing themselves for a huge showdown against an England team desperate to right the wrongs after suffering back-to-back home defeats.

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Rassie Erasmus on facing England at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

The Springboks will be bracing themselves for a huge showdown against an England team desperate to right the wrongs after suffering back-to-back home defeats.

Where there is a disagreement between Borthwick and a club over a player’s management, the independent PRB has the capacity to recommend that a decision is changed. The PRB is central to the operation of the PGP, which has been agreed by the RFU, Premiership Rugby and Rugby Players’ Association (RPA).

McTighe takes up his role as chair with immediate effect, bringing with him a “wealth of leadership, board and regulatory experience from both public and private companies”. He is chairman of Openreach Limited, Together Financial Services Limited and IG Group plc.

Team Form

Last 5 Games

1
Wins
4
1
Streak
4
19
Tries Scored
25
22
Points Difference
99
3/5
First Try
4/5
4/5
First Points
4/5
3/5
Race To 10 Points
4/5

“It’s my privilege to be taking on this role at such an important time for English rugby,” McTighe said. “The enthusiasm from all quarters to reshape the men’s game is palpable. I look forward to getting to know better all the stakeholders in the coming days and weeks.”

Baillache is a senior independent director at the Lawn Tennis Association, a member of the committee of management for Wimbledon and is on the board at UK Sport and Somerset County Cricket Club.

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Roddy was a member of the executive board of the FA Premier League and on the UK Sport Board and has also held senior leadership positions and non-executive board roles with the Lawn Tennis Association, Sport England, UK Sport, the English Institute of Sport, Sports Coach UK and FIFA.

The PRB will also comprise of eight voting members split across the RFU, Premiership Rugby and the RPA.

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Nickers 36 minutes ago
'Razor's conservatism is in danger of halting New Zealand's progress'

Razor seems totally at sea to me.


He squandered his first year when he could have been bringing in loads of new players at the expense of results. Instead he chased the win from week to week, ironically using the same players that have been underperforming and NOT winning for years to put in mediocre performances.


The new generation of players is here right now but Razor is clearly not ready for them. Lakai, Love, Proctor, Plummer etc... could all have 5 or so games under their belt. Instead they get 2 minutes at the end of the game to win a "cap" like this is still the 80s.


He had a license to be bold this year - an obligation after 4 years of conservatism under Fozzie. But in reality it wasn't until inuries forced his hand that any progress was made this season.


Worryingly, much like Fozzie, he seems unable to diagnose and fix what is not working on attack. He desperately needs some better assistants around him.


The comparison to SA is not really a fair one. Rassie is probably under the least pressure of anyone in all of World Rugby this year coming off back to back World Cups win. It's like the ABs in 2016 - everyone thought they would have a post world cup slump but it was the exact opposite. With no pressure and no fear they payed some of the most incredible rugby that has ever been played by the All Blacks, every new player was an instant super star and it seemed like nothing could go wrong. Much the same way 2017 hit the ABs like a ton of bricks I'm sure SA will endure something similar in 2025.

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