Cattermole resigns from RFU

Graeme Cattermole last night resigned as chairman of the Rugby Football Union's management board following a power struggle with the union's chief executive, Francis Baron.

Graeme Cattermole last night resigned as chairman of the Rugby Football Union's management board following a power struggle with the union's chief executive, Francis Baron.

Cattermole bowed to the inevitable after losing the support of the overwhelming majority of RFU council members during a meeting at Twickenham. The council reaffirmed its support for Baron, who has presided over a period of unprecedented financial success and helped establish the national team at the top of the world game.

Cattermole had long been a significant player in the dark politics of English rugby. Widely seen as an ultra-conservative thorn in the side of the professional clubs, he recently found common cause with the Premiership fraternity, who had fallen out with Baron over a series of issues, most notably the chief executive's support for automatic promotion and relegation and his decision to back the Barbarians-All Blacks fixture at Twickenham a week today - a game the clubs believe detracts from their own activities in European competition.

Malcolm Phillips, the president of the union, will chair the management board until a fresh appointment is made, probably in February.