Rob Andrew leaving England RFU at end of season

LONDON (AP) Rob Andrew has resigned as the England director of professional rugby and will leave his post at the end of the season.

He will be replaced by Nigel Melville, the USA Rugby chief executive, in July.

The English Rugby Football Union and USA Rugby made the announcements on Friday.

Andrew has been deeply involved in the RFU since joining in 2006. He was elite rugby director, overseeing the England side, became the rugby operations director, then took on his current role.

Andrew led the union in reaching an eight-year agreement with the clubs to resolve the bitter country-versus-club divide. He has agreed to stay on to complete the latest agreement with the clubs that will run to the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The agreement gives England teams more time in camp, and compensates the clubs for helping to develop a pipeline of talent.

Andrew, a former England and British Lions flyhalf, said he felt it was the right time to step down. CEO Ian Ritchie said he was disappointed.

Andrew also believed Melville was ''the best candidate'' to take over his role.

Melville, a former England scrumhalf, has been the USA Rugby CEO for 9 1/2 years.

''He has propelled USA Rugby forward on every level,'' USA Rugby chairman Bob Latham said.

They were reviewing more than 150 applicants to replace him.