The Rugby Football Union's worldwide search for a new performance director has ended with the appointment of Chris Spice, a former senior coach at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Spice will be responsible for establishing a performance department within the RFU for the development of elite players and coaches with the likes of Lawrence Dallaglio, Jonny Wilkinson and even former rugby league star Ellery Hanley, now on the England coaching team, benefitting from his expertise.
Spice is currently director of the English Hockey Association's World Class Performance Plan and he was also the performance director of Great Britain's hockey team at the Sydney Olympics.
Chairman of Club England Fran Cotton said: ``We are delighted to secure in Chris Spice someone with strong management and technical skills, who has excellent credentials in establishing and running a performance department in a team sport.''