Only six months before the biggest sporting event on these shores since the Olympics is scheduled to kick off, the England Rugby World Cup 2015 chief executive, Debbie Jevans, has stepped down for personal reasons.
Jevans, who was named the most influential woman in sport by the Guardian last year, leaves with most of the hard work done in terms of preparing for the tournament and 1.9m of around 2.3m tickets sold. However, her shock resignation will leave a big gap at the top of the Rugby Football Union subsidiary, England Rugby 2015, formed to organise the tournament.
“This is the right decision for me to make at this time. I am immensely proud of the team and all that we have achieved in the time that I have been chief executive,” said Jevans, who was director of sport for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.
“Everything is in place to ensure that this is the best Rugby World Cup ever, and I am confident my team will deliver an exceptional tournament. The organisation is strong, there is a great team in place and I am really looking forward to watching the Rugby World Cup as a fan later this year.”
It is understood that Jevans will remain on the Football League board and as a vice chair of grassroots funding body Sport England.
In a statement England Rugby 2015 said that its executive team would now report to Stephen Brown, who will be promoted from chief financial officer to managing director and will work alongside the organisation’s chairman, Andy Coslett, to deliver the final stages. Brown, also the Rugby Football Union CFO, previously stood in as RFU chief executive when John Steele was ousted in 2011 and prior to the arrival of the current incumbent Ian Ritchie. It was Ritchie who appointed Jevans to replace Paul Vaughan as the head of the body responsible for delivering the tournament to a tight budget, given the £80m tournament fee that has to be paid to World Rugby to host it.
“On behalf of the ER 2015 Board I would like to extend our enormous appreciation for all that Debbie has brought to the role,” said Coslett. “Her legacy will be seen during and after the tournament is delivered, with a sporting event that I fully believe will be both memorable and inspiring, creating a step change in interest and participation for the game in this country.”
Jevans gave a round of interviews following the breathless climax to the Six Nations and in anticipation of a new batch of tickets going on sale for some of the biggest matches but gave no clues that she was thinking of stepping down. The 54-year-old won over early sceptics in the rugby world who feared the organising committee was being taken over by ex-Locog executives and has left behind a plan that should ensure the organisational success of the tournament regardless of whether England make it through a tough group stage. She took several cues from the Locog playbook, including plans for a trophy tour that will seek to whip up excitement around the country and 15 fanzones that will offer public viewing opportunities throughout.
“On behalf of World Rugby I would like to thank Debbie for her vision, dedication and leadership in implementing everything we need for an exceptional Rugby World Cup and wish her all the best for the future,” said the World Rugby Chairman, Bernard Lapasset.
“England 2015 is in record-breaking shape with a strong and experienced organising committee in place, all stakeholders fully behind a shared vision and tournament delivery tracking ahead of schedule. We are confident that Rugby World Cup 2015 will be the biggest and best to date.”