WRU chief Roger Lewis says a more 'hands-on' role was needed

Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive Roger Lewis has defended the decision to release elite performance director Graeme Maw after just a few months.

A WRU statement on Thursday announced that Maw would step down in June.

Lewis told Scrum V that it was Maw's own findings that suggested he had become surplus to requirements.

"Graeme was fundamental to pushing this review, he decided to say: 'Actually, within this structure I'm not needed, I can step down'," Lewis said.

Maw was only appointed in January and launched an in-depth review into the game of rugby in Wales.

On the strength of those findings, presented to the WRU last month, Welsh rugby's governing body has decided that the EPD role will now be filled by two more "hands-on" roles.

The first of those is the head of rugby development role currently held by Nigel Davies, which will also be elevated to a board position.

Davies is being courted by the Llanelli Scarlets to return to the region as head coach following the sacking this week of director of rugby Phil Davies.

The second key role for Welsh rugby was filled by the recruitment this week of Craig White to bolster elite players' conditioning.

The former Wasps, Leicester and Lions strength and conditioning coach completes Wales head coach Warren Gatland's backroom team.

"We've changed the job because things have evolved so quickly," Lewis added.

"We're not giving up on the idea of elite performance, what we are creating is two people to do what was the job of one person."

606: DEBATE Does anyone in the WRU have any idea of what is required for the future of the game? bedfordwelsh

While admitting that the timing of White's appointment - the day before the announcement of Maw's departure - was unfortunate, Lewis said that there was nothing more behind the chronology of his hiring.

"I needed someone with hands-on rugby experience to deliver that [elite performance], it's a unique set of skills and Graeme himself identified what was required for this," Lewis said.

"I've been talking to Craig for some time, I've been wanting to get him involved in the team for some time.

"The opportunity arose a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't going to hang around, you've got to act decisively, you've got to seize these opportunities."