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OP is new RFU chief executive

OP is new RFU chief executive 10 June 2010

OP John Steele replaces Francis Baron as the Rugby Football Union's chief executive in September.

Cambridge-born Steele, who lived in and played much of his club rugby at Shelford, played for Northampton Saints from 1988 to 1995, before becoming director of rugby at London Scottish and the Saints. He was then executive director at Northampton from 2002 to 2005, before taking over as chief executive at UK Sport in 2005.

Steele, 45, who is a chartered surveyor, has spent most of his working career in sport and said "I am very passionate about rugby and I am going back to my first love". Commenting on the Rugby World Cup, Steel remarked "The 2015 World Cup can provide a focus and an inspiration and I would love to see more and more people playing rugby because the values of the sport and what you can get out of it are immense in terms of lifestyle and developing young and old alike."