TOUCHLINE The Official Newspaper of The RFU September 2017 Issue 204 BROWN BECOMES RFU CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JOANNA MANNING-COOPER Steve Brown was appointed RFU Chief Executive Officer at the “His passion for rugby, and his commitment to rugby’s values start of this month after an extensive selection process led by a are obvious to everyone who has worked with him, and he will lead Board Nominations Panel and the approval of the RFU Board. He a strong executive team who are committed to making rugby in began his new role on Monday 4 September England the best in the world. ” Brown was Chief Officer, Business Operations at the RFU, and Before joining the RFU, Brown was UK Finance Director at the UK succeeds Ian Ritchie who announced his retirement earlier this year. operation of Abbott, the global, broad-based health care company, for Steve Brown joined the RFU as Chief Financial Officer on June 10, five years after a decade with the company, covering a number of other 2011. He also served as Managing Director of England Rugby 2015, senior financial positions, including UK Pharmaceutical manufacturing responsible for organising the England 2015 Rugby World Cup, and at Abbott’s Paris-based Commercial Regional Headquarters. widely acclaimed as the most successful Rugby World Cup ever. Prior to joining Abbott, he spent three years as the Business The impact of hosting the event saw the highest annual turnover Support Manager and Group Head of Finance for British Energy in the RFU’s history and record investment in rugby. PLC. He originally trained as an accountant in the National Health He was subsequently appointed RFU Chief Officer, Business Service where he held a number of financial roles. Operations with responsibility for Technology, Finance, Human Brown said: “This is the job of a lifetime for me. I’m thrilled to be Resources, Legal & Governance, IPF, International Relations & given this opportunity to lead a sport I love, in an organisation I have Public Affairs, Twickenham Stadium and, in addition, the Chief been proud to work for over the last six years, and I look forward to Financial Officer of the RFU. leading the team as we work to grow the game at every level.” “Over the past six years, Steve has shown us all exactly what he Brown has been a club and international rugby fan for many can deliver,” said RFU Chairman Andy Cosslett. years, is keen on motorsport and loves music, playing occasionally “He has undertaken a series of important strategic and operational as a session guitarist. He lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and roles for the RFU and I’m delighted to appoint him as CEO. three daughters. PRIDE OF THE RED ROSES ENGLAND hurdle and that is the biggest disappointment – that we didn’t NEW ZEALAND finish the job.” England fly half Katy Mclean said the squad wanted to thank IN 2018 fans who got in touch through the official England social ENGLAND TO PLAY media channels as well as using #redroses and #WearTheRose WORLD CHAMPIONS NEW throughout the competition. ZEALAND FOR THE FIRST “All I can say now is a massive thank you for the support we’ve had TIME SINCE 2014 AS THEIR in this tournament, it’s been immense and we are so grateful. To all FIXTURES FOR THE 2018 those girls and women watching back at home I hope one positive is OLD MUTUAL WEALTH that if another girl goes out and takes up rugby it’s brilliant.” SERIES ARE CONFIRMED Red Roses head coach Simon Middleton praised the resilience of Continued on page 2 his side in a game of huge quality at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast where the lead changed five times over the course of the match. “I couldn’t be prouder as the girls gave everything they could and there was no shortage of heart, energy and passion,” he said. “We just couldn’t get enough possession in the second-half to be SUZI MURRAY able to turn the game how we wanted. Red Roses captain Sarah Hunter said her team can be “immensely “We’ve had a fantastic year with the things we achieved, we’ve proud” of what they achieved, despite the disappointment of pulled up short tonight but we’ve been everywhere and played falling 32-41 to New Zealand in the Women’s Rugby World Cup everyone and until tonight we’ve been successful. final in Belfast, after leading 17-10 at the break. “I thought it was an amazing occasion for the game with the Hunter, who played in her third Women’s Rugby World Cup final, energy in the stadium and it was fantastic match for the spectators said: “It just wasn’t to be our night. We fought for everything and to watch.” you can’t fault the girls’ effort throughout this competition. England defeated Spain, Italy, USA and France on their way to “All credit to New Zealand and congratulations to them, they the final. deserve to be world champions. At the end, we just said that we The Red Roses campaign inspired thousands of women to take up win together and lose together and we can be immensely proud of rugby and attend Warrior Camps in August, with many looking forward what we have achieved this season. to the next set of camps in January 2018. Find one of the hundreds of “We set our target at the beginning of the season, which was to women’s teams across the country, at findrugby.com. win the World Cup and lift it and we’ve just fallen short at the final Turn to Page 4 for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Numbers. TOUCHLINE – SEPTEMBER 2017 1 Continued from page 1 ENGLAND v NEW ZEALAND IN 2018 OLD MUTUAL WEALTH SERIES GARETH MILLS Eddie Jones’ side will play four Test matches in next season’s The only previous meeting between the two nations was at the “Over the next year we need to continue to develop a bulletproof series at Twickenham Stadium against South Africa (3 November), inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 when England secured a side, that can find ways to win in matches, and we will have to New Zealand (10 November), Japan (17 November) and Australia comfortable 60-7 victory over the Brave Blossoms in Sydney. work hard and be smart in what we do to bridge the gap between (24 November). In the fourth Test, England will face Australia (24 November) us and the All Blacks. Our ambition is to be the number one team All matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports with kick off who have lost their last four matches against Jones’ side. The in the world going into the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.” times to be confirmed at a later date. Wallabies will play England on 18 November in this year’s Old Michelle Andrews, Marketing Director, Old Mutual Wealth said: England will host South Africa (3 November) in the first match Mutual Wealth Series between England’s matches against “The third Old Mutual Wealth Series sees England take on some of the series. The Springboks were beaten by England 37-21 the Argentina (11 November) and Samoa (25 November). really exciting opposition. With 2019 being a big year for rugby these last time the two sides met in 2016. Ahead of the Old Mutual England Head Coach Eddie Jones said: “The 2018 Old Mutual fixtures will have added importance for the teams and fans alike.” Wealth game at Twickenham, Jones’ team will travel to South Wealth Series is incredibly important for England as we build Old Mutual Wealth’s support of England Rugby extends from Africa in June for a three-Test series. towards the Rugby World Cup in 2019. the men’s and women’s elite game to the grassroots through Old England will then face the All Blacks (10 November) for the first time “We want to win that series 4-0 and we will need to play extremely Mutual Wealth Kids First. Aimed at U7 to U13 boys and girls, Old in four years. In 2014 England lost four times to the All Blacks including well to beat four very good teams over a four-week period. Mutual Wealth Kids First puts children first, upskills coaches and a three-Test series in New Zealand. They last beat New Zealand in 2012, “The series will give us a really good indicator of where we are as creates a great rugby environment, so that everyone stays in the defeating the number one side in the world 38-21 at Twickenham. a squad, a year out from the Rugby World Cup, and gives us a real game for longer. England’s Test match against Japan (17 November) will be only focus on what we have to do over the next 12 months to be ready the second time in history the two sides have played each other. for that series and win. OLD MUTUAL WEALTH SERIES 2017 TIME CHANGE 2017 OLD MUTUAL WEALTH SERIES SATURDAY, 11 NOVEMBER: ENGLAND V ARGENTINA, Kick off times for England’s three Test matches in the Old Mutual Wealth Series have changed and will kick off at 3pm, 30 mins later KO 15.00 than initially announced. This will allow the matches to be broadcast on Sky Sports’ new Main Event channel dedicated to the biggest live events on Sky Sports and SATURDAY, 18 NOVEMBER: ENGLAND V AUSTRALIA, available to all Sky customers with the full Sky Sports package. KO 15.00 All three matches will also be shown live on Sky Sports Action.