Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder will leave the Premiership club at the end of the campaign to become head coach at Japanese side Toshiba.Blackadder signed a contract extension at The Rec until the end of next season in September, but the 47-year-old has been granted an early release.Former captain Stuart Hooper is expected to take on Blackadder's role. Bath,…

Mark McCafferty will step down as Premiership Rugby chief executive at the end of the current season, to be replaced by Darren Childs.McCafferty has spent 14 years in the post, delivering numerous rights deals as well as helping negotiate the recent sale of a Premiership stake to CVC.Childs will leave his present role at digital broadcaster UKTV to take up…

England scrum-half Danny Care says Billy Vunipola's controversial social media post is not something that will divide a dressing room.England number eight Vunipola defended the now-sacked Australian international Israel Folau's assertion that "hell awaits" gay people.On Tuesday, the Saracens forward was given a "formal warning" by the Rugby Football Union.Care, who plays for Harlequins, believes many players who did 'like'…

Leicester would be much deeper in the relegation mire were it not for the "phenomenal" George Ford, says Tigers and England team-mate Ben Youngs.Fly-half Ford was instrumental on Friday as Leicester beat Newcastle 27-22 to go eight points clear of Falcons, who are bottom of the Premiership."I dare say without him, I don't know where we would be," Youngs told…