The Rugby Football Union is restructuring its communications department after the shambolic handling of Brian Ashton's departure from the England team.
After a protracted and painful public debate as to whether to keep him as head coach, Ashton was hung out to dry by the RFU this year, with no clear message ever issued from Twickenham. So clumsily was the whole episode handled that, said one RFU source, the director of communications, Richard Prescott, has paid for it with his job by being "moved sideways".
Prescott will be employed in a more junior position, taking control of the handling of the England team's affairs, with the appointment above him of a corporate communications and public affairs director.
"Richard Prescott has been consulted at length over the new department and fully supports its establishment and the [directorial] appointment to whom he will directly report," the RFU chief executive, Francis Baron, wrote in an email to staff.
"Richard will concentrate on the increased management requirements for all the England teams using the specialist knowledge and expertise gained from working successfully on the last three Rugby World Cups."
Baron was not available for comment yesterday but Prescott is said to be excited about the opportunity to focus on Martin Johnson's England squad, who will convene for longer periods under the new Premiership agreement.
The RFU's corporate restructuring will give rise to fresh speculation that it will bid to host the 2015 World Cup. The new man is likely to require strong ambassadorial skills.
Between the lines
One cause of the breakdown of the expected recruitment of Andrew Morris as chief executive of Wembley National Stadium Limited was the opaque reporting lines within the Football Association. WNSL's board ultimately considered his appointment unnecessary but Morris was also uncomfortable that he had no idea who his ultimate boss would be when Brian Barwick is replaced in January. The FA insists the problem will not recur with the World Cup 2018 bid even though it is two weeks into the process of recruiting a chief executive, chief operating officer, technical director and director of communications for the bid company. It claims that because the FA's chairman, Lord Triesman, also chairs the bid company the reporting lines are clear and that headhunters will reassure candidates accordingly.
Age concern
An attempt by the FA council's septuagenarians to overturn a rule enforcing retirement at the age of 75 was defeated yesterday. It was introduced in the 1990s but ageing blazers had called on the FA to amend its rules in the wake of age discrimination legislation. With only 34 votes in favour of the motion and 53 against, however, it was lost.
Cricket pleads its case
The England and Wales Cricket Board's chief executive, David Collier, yesterday led a four-man delegation on a whirlwind tour of Brussels and met Michal Krejza, the head of the sports unit at the European Commission. Collier emphasised that English cricket is now a major player with TV revenues of £300m over four years and that the EC's discussions over the sports white paper last year had been focused on football, so the outcomes did not suit all sports. Collier and his colleagues went on to an afternoon meeting with the sports group of the European parliament, whose secretary is the influential Conservative MEP Chris Heaton-Harris.
The lady's not for turning
Arsenal fans concerned about whether Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith - holder of 15.9% of the club's shares and said to be the most likely to sell to a hostile bidder - might be wobbly may be reassured by hearing about her role in recruiting a chief executive. She was on the first interview panel, after which Celtic's Peter Lawwell and Vodafone's Paul Donovan emerged as the two candidates - Lawwell is expected to get the job tomorrow. Stan Kroenke, the American billionaire who has a 12.38% stake, will reportedly be invited to join the board.
