Bill Beaumont announced as RFU Chairman.

He assumes the role after Martin Thomas stepped down July last year and Paul Murphy had assumed temporary control. Murphy becomes RFU president.

The reshuffle was started a while back when John Steele was ousted and judge Jeff Blanket decided the former RFU chairman and nine of his cronies were guilty.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18762293

I feel very glad for Beaumont.

He has given his all for England in one way or another.

I seem to remember it being said all of the board should have resigned EXCEPT Beaumont. That suggests he's the best of the bad bunch.

Chairs ...deck ...titanic

But yes he is the one who has the reputation of not being a back stabbing self serving @rse so who knows, maybe the politics and back biting will calm down a bit.
Never liked him on Question of Sport though.

At least you will get a "say it as it is" man. He as always seemed a no nonsense type of person and I suppose this is the type you need, he reminds me a lot of Brian Moore in his attitude and that can only be a good thing.

As Stuart Lancaster has done a huge amount of good PR for the RFU I am sure Bill will do the same from the inside out.

Great bloke with a great reputation.

nice comment Maesteg. Ahhh the good old days when we were all rugby gentlemen.

maestegmafia wrote:As Stuart Lancaster has done a huge amount of good PR for the RFU himself

I edited that for you.Lancaster has actually ran down the RFUs reputation and even now continues to paint the past in as negative a light as possible to create the impression of success for himself.
His latest press statement is a case in point " yes from a results point of view the tour wasnt great, but at least noone got mixed up in any trumped up off the field activities which whilst reported on the same level of genocide were infact complete non events , so from that point of view I am a complete success" Whilst at the same time accepting straight back into his playing team Danny Care, making Hartley his reserve captain,and adding the thug Clarke to his squad whilst hes still serving his ban and retaining celebrity talcum powder expert Matt Stevens.
Yes on the surface he may be doing his best to manipulate public opinion, but the reality is thats based on media spin and not having the Rob Andrew factor actively leaking negative stories to undermine him and his squad.
Im not sure if that really constitutes salvaging the reputation of the RFU.

Beamount, lets wait and see.In theory hes the saviour of the known universe.

Isn't that He-Man? Or do you mean...........[awful mental image] Beamont in that wierd chest strap thing and leather pants...[shudder]

I HAVE THE POWER!!!


NB: was this the position that was almost given to a women before the farts closed ranks?

This move was predicted a while ago by ESPN:

http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/89044.html#

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:As Stuart Lancaster has done a huge amount of good PR for the RFU himself

I edited that for you.Lancaster has actually ran down the RFUs reputation and even now continues to paint the past in as negative a light as possible to create the impression of success for himself.
His latest press statement is a case in point " yes from a results point of view the tour wasnt great, but at least noone got mixed up in any trumped up off the field activities which whilst reported on the same level of genocide were infact complete non events , so from that point of view I am a complete success" Whilst at the same time accepting straight back into his playing team Danny Care, making Hartley his reserve captain,and adding the thug Clarke to his squad whilst hes still serving his ban and retaining celebrity talcum powder expert Matt Stevens.
Yes on the surface he may be doing his best to manipulate public opinion, but the reality is thats based on media spin and not having the Rob Andrew factor actively leaking negative stories to undermine him and his squad.
Im not sure if that really constitutes salvaging the reputation of the RFU.

Beamount, lets wait and see.In theory hes the saviour of the known universe.

Not a big fan then Peter?

The majority seem to tow the PR line and believe in Lancaster. I, personally, am still waiting to see any strengths in his coaching.

He has cleaned up the rep of the team since the world cup, reignited a bit of life into the team. But the recalling of Clarke prior to the end of his suspension for a heinous act is not a wise move.

Fair comments Maest.

Im a Lancaster sceptic rather than a hater.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Fair comments Maest.

Im a Lancaster sceptic rather than a hater.

I think Lancaster will serve a long honeymoon period, similar to Johnson before. And there will rightfully be plenty of sceptics until he actually does something of note.

England made a great account of themselves through the nineties and early part of the last decade. I was a big admirer of Jack Rowell and Cooke before him. They made a massive change to England's fortunes.

Nothing against Beaumont, he seems a decent enough bloke. I do think the RFU would have been better off appointing a fresh chairman who is new to the Board. Beaumont may be seen as too close to the past failings.