The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced new appointments to the RFU Council for the 2016/17 season, following the RFU’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Maggie Alphonsi (Photo: England Rugby)
From 1 August 2016, Peter Baines, RFU Senior Vice President will become the President of the RFU, Former England rugby Captain, Maggie Alphonsi MBE will join the RFU Council and Former England Rugby full back, Jonathan Webb will join Ian Ritchie as the RFU’s two representatives on the World Rugby Council. Webb replaces Bill Beaumont CBE who will take office as Chairman of World Rugby on 1 July.
Peter Baines was the Hertfordshire representative on the RFU Council from 2002 to 2014. He was an RFU Management Board member for 10 years and Chairman of the Finance and Funding, and Governance Standing Committees. He was also a founder trustee of the Injured Players Foundation and chaired the RFU for Women Integration Task Group, helping to ensure a smooth integration of the women’s game with the RFU He is currently Chairman of the Agents Review Board.
Looking ahead to his term in office, the incoming President said: “Jason Leonard has been, and will continue to be, a brilliant ambassador for the game, and on behalf of the Union, I would like to thank him for all that he has done for the sport.
“One of the greatest joys of the vice-presidency over the last two years has been visiting clubs, schools and constituent bodies across the country and meeting the people who freely commit so much of their time and effort for the good of the game, and I’m looking forward to continuing that over the next year.”
Baines succeeds Jason Leonard OBE who was appointed RFU President in June 2015. During his time in office, one of Leonard’s key priorities was developing the legacy of the Rugby World Cup 2015.
400 more secondary state schools playing rugby via CBRE All Schools, one million people engaged in the sport through Festival of Rugby events and over 500 club facilities improved as a result of £10 million funding from the RFU, are just some of the projects and commitments made by the RFU to sustain a lasting legacy of Rugby World Cup 2015.
Jason Leonard said: “Looking back at the past year, which has included staging the best ever Rugby World Cup, it seemed only right to focus on legacy as a key theme for my term as RFU President.
“A combination of the larger scale, national projects and the more localised, grassroots initiatives that we have delivered across the past year have helped us to achieve our goal of illustrating that rugby really is a game for everyone, providing people across the country with the opportunity to enjoy the game and all it has to offer.
“I would like to wish Peter all the best for his term as RFU President.”
Since her retirement from international rugby in 2014, Maggie Alphonsi MBE has become a household name, known for her live rugby commentary for Sky Sports, BT Sport and the BBC and for becoming the first ever former female player to commentate on men’s international rugby for ITV during the Rugby World Cup and the RBS 6 Nations.
Replacing Phil Vickery MBE, Alphonsi also becomes the first ever former England Women’s player to be elected as a National Member of the RFU Council and will work alongside the Council’s second National Member, Richard Hill MBE as a person of experience and influence in the game.
Maggie Alphonsi commented: “It is a great privilege to replace Phil Vickery in this role, and be able to give back to the game in another guise. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Phil for all he has contributed to the game during his tenure.
“I am very much looking forward to starting in the position and working alongside other RFU Council Members from 1 August.”
Elected officials and appointments
Appointments for one-year terms:
- Peter Baines – President
- John Spencer – Senior Vice President
- Chris Kelly – Junior Vice President
- Maggie Alphonsi – RFU Council Member
New members of the RFU Council as elected by their Constituent Bodies are:
- Phil Attwell – Students RFU
- Alan Milliner MBE – Cornwall
- Peter Howard – Leicestershire
And for a three-year term:
- Jonathan Webb – RFU Representative to World Rugby Council
Pictured above Maggie Alphonsi at launch of Festival of Rugby
Report courtesy of England Rugby
