Following a litany of recent scandals, including the suspension of five Bath players for drug-related issues and, most notably, bloodgate, a 13-man task group has been setup with the intention of cleaning up rugby union.

The panel, known as the Image of the Game Task Group, will be led by Rugby Football Union president John Owen and includes the RFU's elite rugby director Rob Andrew, Bath prop and players' union chairman David Barnes, and former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio. Their remit is to conduct a thorough review of all issues in the game and deliver a series of recommendations by 30 September.

"The RFU has been very clear that we needed to act quickly at a game-wide level to ensure that recent events can never happen again," said RFU chief executive Francis Baron, who is also part of the panel. "The Image of the Game Task Group includes the people we believe can help us do that and we will also work closely with the International Rugby Board (IRB) in support of their initiatives in this area.

"This is not a disciplinary panel set up to take action against clubs and players, the RFU disciplinary process will handle that should it be necessary. Nor will it be a talking shop. It will be focused on the issues at hand and actionable solutions. We will do whatever it takes to rebuild the reputation of the sport and that work starts now."

The objectives for the task group include reviewing the impact of recent disciplinary cases on the standing, reputation and image of rugby union, considering any other evidence of 'cheating' or 'gamesmanship' supplied to the task group, assessing the impact of recent events on the game in England, reviewing and update all existing 'Codes of Conduct' in the light of recent incidents and reviewing any professional or ethical issues for doctors, medics and physiotherapists arising out of recent events.

"I've been inundated with emails and letters from people who are concerned and do not understand how, at the top end of the game, things seem to have gone wrong in terms of our core values," Baron added on BBC Radio Five Live. "They are looking for us to put it right and that is what we are going to do. The task group is determined to take action to restore the good image of rugby union."

The task group members:

John Owen, President of the RFU (Chairman of the Task Group)

Martyn Thomas, Chairman of the RFU Management Board and IRB representative

Francis Baron OBE, RFU Chief Executive

Cecil Duckworth OBE, Chairman and Owner of Worcester Warriors, PRL board member

Andrew Coppel CBE, Chairman of London Irish, PRL board member

David Barnes, Bath RFC player and Chairman of the PRA

Lawrence Dallaglio OBE , retired player and Board Director at Wasps, a PRL club

His Honour Judge Jeff Blackett RFU Disciplinary Officer

Bob Rogers RFU Past President and Chairman of the RFU 'Core Values' Task Group

Peter Baines Chairman RFU Governance Standing Committee

Rob Andrew MBE, RFU Elite Rugby Director

Andrew Scoular, RFU Community Rugby Director

Peter Thomas, RFU Corporate Communications Director