I'm staying with the BOA, says Sir Clive Woodward

Sir Clive Woodward will not come riding in to the aid of the ailing Rugby Football Union after insisting he will stay with the British Olympic Association until the Games in 2016.

The RFU are reeling after the loss of chief executive John Steele, the decision to force chairman Martyn Thomas to step down and the departure of other key directors, which was all triggered by the shambolic attempt to appoint Woodward as performance director.

Now the man who led England to 2003 World Cup glory appears more determined than ever to steer clear of his former employers.

Woodward says he is happy at the BOA, where he is director of sport, and is already looking towards the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"There is a lot of talk about the RFU and me but that is nothing to do with me or anything I have said," insisted the 55-year-old, who will serve as deputy chef de mission for Team GB at next year's Games.

"I love working at the BOA, I've got a great job and the reason I took the job in the first place is because we have the London 2012 Games coming up so I was never ever considering anything that would get in the way of me being a part of that.

"My long-term plan is that I'm staying at the BOA and the next summer Games for me after London will be the Rio Olympics in 2016. I'm going to Rio this November with the team for early planning for the Games so after London 2012; my focus will be on Rio.

"Right now the London 2012 Olympic Games is obviously a massive focus because we want to make sure that we do it properly but after that I plan to move on and do the same job for Rio because I really enjoy it."

Woodward, who is the obvious candidate to take up the RFU performance role, admitted that he is growing increasingly more excited ahead of the London 2012 Olympics which are now less than one year away.

"We have an historic opportunity ahead with more than 500 of Britain's most accomplished Olympic athletes set to represent Team GB at home," Woodward told insidethegames.

"I am totally committed to my role as director of sport at the British Olympic Association and deputy chef de mission for Team GB in London 2012 and I am now just really looking forward to London 2012 getting under way.

"We have a huge amount of work to do before then but I know it will be an amazing event for everyone involved."

Woodward will also be Team GB chef de mission at the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympics next January.