Sir Clive, now the elite performance director at the British Olympic Association (BOA), was the favourite for the post but pulled out because Steele first revised the role so that it did not include any role with the senior England team preparing for the World Cup in New Zealand later this year only to then change the specifications again, causing confusion as to what the RFU were looking for.

Sir Clive's decision to remain with the BOA has focussed intense spotlight on Steele, who only joined the RFU last September having previoulsy been chief executive at UK Sport and who, as director of rugby, had coached Northampton Saints to victory in the Heineken Cup in 2000.

"The [RFU] chairman and non-executive directors have got to step in," former RFU vice-chairman Fran Cotton today told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme.

"The only way it will be solved is by John Steele's removal, he has shown he is not up to the job."

The initial job description for the performance director role was unexpectedly diluted by Steele.

The RFU Management Board, on a narrow majority vote, then effectively reinstated the old job specification, with current England manager Martin Johnson reporting directly to the performance director after the World Cup in New Zealand later this year.

"If it's a choice between John Steele as chief executive or Clive Woodward as performance director, it's a no-brainer," said Cotton, who was coached 31 times by England and then established a highly successful clothing business, Cotton Traders.

"I think he should go - look at the publicity the RFU have had over this, he's brought them into disrepute, you've got your major candidate walking away, it can't get much worse."

Johnson, the captain under Sir Clive when England won the World Cup in Australia in 2003, has reportedly said he was happy to work with his former coach if Sir Clive was given the performance director's role.

"It's probably the most important role in English rugby and world rugby and he's talking about downgrading the role to bring in Mr Average instead of Clive Woodward or [New Zealand coach] Graham Henry, the people England need," said Cotton.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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