Josh Lewsey has announced his resignation and will leave his post as Wales’s head of rugby in January.
The England World Cup winner was appointed in September 2013 having retired from the game in 2009 after winning 55 caps and making three Test appearances for the Lions.
“I came to work here with a specific focus in mind, seeing the opportunity and need to address the underlying structures whilst the national team were so successful – to attempt to ‘fix the roof while the sun is shining’,” he said.
“Also, my family are from Wales and I know the difference sport, but especially rugby, can make to people’s lives and local communities. Those factors can transcend education, health and society which has been a big focus for us.”
He added: “To avoid speculation and be entirely honest, there have been some developments over the last year relating to personal matters, meaning that I couldn’t continue to be in Wales on a full-time basis.”
Lewsey, who could have opted to play for Wales, spent all but one year of his club career at Wasps, working alongside Warren Gatland from 2002 to 2005 when the Wales head coach was director of rugby at Adams Park. After retiring Lewsey went into management in London before becoming the acting chief executive of Cornish Pirates.
The Welsh Rugby Union chief executive, Martyn Phillips, told its website: “I want to thank Josh for the dedication, energy and vision he has brought to his role as head of rugby.
“There is no doubt his principle achievement across the past two years has been to drive strategic change and put in place a club hub structure which is already proving successful in introducing a new core of young players into the game.”
