Nigel Melville wants to take charge at troubled RFU

Nigel Melville revealed today that he will apply to be the next chief executive of the Rugby Football Union.

The former England captain, who went on to coach London Wasps and Gloucester, is president and chief executive of USA Rugby.

The RFU are looking for a new chief executive after John Steele was ousted from the position on Friday, largely as a result of the flawed recruitment process for the new performance director.

In a Twitter message to RFU council member Andrew Sarek, Melville said: "I will apply for the ceo job, its what I have been doing for the last 4 years."

Ironically, Melville was on the RFU's early shortlist to be performance director but withdrew from the running after deciding it was destined for Sir Clive Woodward.

However, the process was thrown into chaos after Steele changed the importance of the job, at one stage removing direct contact with the England team. World Cup winners Jason Leonard and Richard Hill have now been asked to bring some much needed credibility to the search for a performance director.

Leonard and Hill are on the RFU Council and have agreed to be part of a five‑man panel that will ensure the job description and responsibilities are clearly defined for a role that Woodward, who led England to 2003 World Cup glory, is uniquely qualified to accept.