Sir Ian McGeechan, who has twice recommended Stuart Lancaster for roles within the RFU, has been named on a five-man panel to review England’s failed World Cup campaign.
The panel will be led by Ian Ritchie, the RFU chief executive and also includes Ian Watmore, the former FA chief executive, Ian Metcalfe, chairman of the Professional Game Board, and Ben Kay, the 2003 England World Cup-winner.
McGeechan was on the panel, put together by Ritchie, that recommended Lancaster for the job of England coach after he had filled the job on an interim basis for the 2012 RBS Six Nations Championship.
The former Lions coach was also part of the review process with Peter Keen that led to Lancaster also being given the responsibility of heading up England’s elite rugby department.
Ritchie, who awarded the England coaching staff six-year contracts, said the review would cover the preparations for and performances during the World Cup, with focus on the “effectiveness of the coaching, management and support team”.
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The England players and team management will provide feedback to the panel, who will be charged with reporting their conclusions to the RFU board on November 17.
“While the RFU will be focussing on continuing to deliver a fantastic tournament over the next two weeks, it is hugely disappointing not to have progressed through to the knockout stages,” Ritchie said.
“With that in mind, we have begun to review the senior team’s campaign to ensure that we learn and improve from this experience in order to be consistently successful.
“There will be extensive input from players, coaches and management staff, as well as an external perspective gathered. The details of this feedback will remain confidential, with recommendations then made to the RFU board.”
The review panel:
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Sir Ian McGeechan
The legendary former Wasps and Scotland coach also enjoyed successful stints both as a player and in charge of the Lions over 35 years. McGeechan won one Lions series as a player, against South Africa in 1974, and two as a coach, in Australia in 1989 and in South Africa in 1997.
Ian Ritchie
Has been the chief executive of the RFU since December 2011, after leaving a similar role with the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, home of Wimbledon. Before the tournament he said: “What we’ve got to be focusing on is doing our best to win this event.”
Ben Kay
The former Leicester Tigers forward was part of the successful England side that thrillingly beat Australia in the Rugby World Cup final in 2003, although infamously knocked the ball on in that game with the tryline at his mercy. He won 62 caps for England and now works as commentator as well as being a Times columnist.
Ian Watmore
The former chief executive at the FA between 2009 and 2010 and has been member of the England Rugby 2015 board since March 2012. His son, Duncan, plays football for Sunderland.
Ian Metcalfe
A double Cambridge Rugby Blue, he is the chairman of the Professional Game Board and is also chairman of Commonwealth Games England. He previously played rugby for Sale and Moseley, captaining the latter between 1985 and 1987. Metcalfe toured New Zealand with England in 1985 and also represented the Barbarians four times.