Metcalfe, who is currently the chairman of the Professional Game Board of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), is set to replace Sir Andrew Foster in December for a four-year term up until the end of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

Metcalfe toured New Zealand with England in 1985, playing three times on that tour and also represented the Barbarians four times and played club rugby for Sale and Moseley during the 1980s.

He joined the RFU Council in 2006 and has held senior roles since 2007, serving on the Boards of the RFU and of England Rugby 2015, the organising body for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

He has also served on the Committee of Warwickshire County Cricket Club for 23 years, before being made an honorary life member in 2013, and is a vice-president of Moseley Rugby Club.

"I am honoured to succeed Sir Andrew as chairman of Commonwealth Games England," said Metcalfe, who is a former managing partner of UK law firm Wragge & Co.

"I was lucky enough to attend the Glasgow Games in person and saw first-hand the passion that Team England embodies.

"I look forward to leading CGE to the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa in 2015 and St Lucia in 2017, and the next Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia, in 2018."

The CGE says Metcalfe's priorities will include participating in the organisation's Glasgow 2014 review and playing an active role in the appointment of an interim chief executive officer to succeed Adam Paker, who is leaving to become chief executive at the Amateur Swimming Association later this year.

Metcalfe will take over the CGE after England topped the medals table at Glasgow 2014, winning 58 gold medals ©Getty Images




At Glasgow 2014, England enjoyed one of its most successful Commonwealth Games ever, topping the medals table for the first time in 28 years with 174 medals - 58 gold, 59 silver and 57 bronze.

"We are delighted to appoint Ian Metcalfe as the new chair of Commonwealth Games England," said Foster, who has served as CGE chairman since 2007.

"Throughout the rigorous selection process he impressed with his passion for sport, business acumen and clear ideas about how to build our strategy for the coming years.

"I am confident that Ian will continue to create opportunities for our athletes to make their best contribution at the Commonwealth Games as we have just seen in Glasgow, and to build excellent relationships with Sport England, our major partner, who are ensuring that we are well supported at every stage of our development."

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