Premiership unveil the perfect weapon in battle for control of English rugby

England’s top professional clubs have found the perfect weapon in their on-going battle for control of the game by appointing Ian Ritchie, the former Rugby Football Union chief executive, as their new chairman.

It is a clever move, giving Premiership Rugby a unique insight into how the RFU works and how it wants to shape the future of the game in England – a strategy Ritchie led during his five years in charge of the biggest and richest union in the sport. Ritchie handed over the CEO role to Stephen Brown, of his former key advisors at the RFU last May.

Besides his five-year tenure at the RFU, which included hosting the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Ritchie is the former CEO of the All England Club which stages the Wimbledon championships, was a non-executive director at the Football League and Wembley Stadium and has vast experience of television rights negotiations.

He was elected unanimously by the Premiership Rugby Board of Directors for a two-year term which will start next month and Semore Kurdi, current Chairman and the owner of Newcastle Falcons said, "I'm delighted that Ian has agreed to become Chairman. We are in a period of significant domestic and international growth for the club game, with this weekend’s big Aviva Premiership Rugby matches just one example, as they will be seen in some 200 countries around the world.

"Ian will undoubtedly add to our ability to realise the full potential of the league. I have enjoyed my time in the Chair and I look forward to working with him through this next phase."

Ritchie said: "Premiership Rugby has become one of the foremost competitions in professional sport and I'm pleased to be taking the Chair at this time. Clearly, the partnership with the RFU is central to the success of both club and country and I look forward to helping ensure its success.

"I take over the Chairmanship with Premiership Rugby in great shape and I would like to record my appreciation of Semore’s role over the last two years in the continued success of Aviva Premiership Rugby. I look forward to helping build on this."