UK Sport chief executive John Steele has been selected to replace Francis Baron as the Rugby Football Union's (RFU) chief executive.

Steele - a former Northampton Saints and England A player - is set to join the national governing body in the autumn, with a date yet to be confirmed. An executive recruitment panel, comprising members of the RFU's management board, appointed Steele following Baron's decision to step down after 12 years in the role. Baron will leave on 4 July.

Martyn Thomas, chair of the RFU management board, said: "Nobody was able to match his unique combination of a background in and knowledge of rugby and a high profile administrative role in sport. "We fully believe [Steele] is the right man to take the RFU forward in its next stage of growth as we prepared to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and for the legacy beyond that."

Steele added: "The next five years will be hugely exciting times for English rugby, culminating in a home World Cup in 2015. During this time I will be totally committed to ensuring a legacy is created from the World Cup at both a community and elite level, whilst building on the sound commercial base already created at Twickenham." Image: Sarah Winterflood