Chief executive Gordon McKie leaves Scottish Rugby Union

Four days after the Rugby Football Union removed its chief executive, John Steele, the Scottish Rugby Union has parted company with Gordon McKie. McKie had been the SRU chief executive for six years, compared with Steele's nine months at Twickenham. Last week the SRU gave him a vote of confidence. In a statement issued on Tuesday the SRU said that McKie, an accountant who reduced the union's overdraft from £20m to £15m in his time in charge, would leave with immediate effect. It did not say if he had resigned or if he had been dismissed. McKie said: "I very much appreciated the board's unanimous vote of confidence but, from a personal perspective, I instigated discussions last weekend after considering matters with my family. The time is right for me to leave Scottish Rugby and move on. I will look back on my time at Murrayfield with a real sense of pride as much has been achieved since the dark days of 2005." McKie angered Scottish supporters with policies that included ending ticket sales on the day of an international, ending car-park picnicking at Murrayfield on match days and stopping Edinburgh fans using a traditional after-match hospitality suite, in order to protect a carpet designed for use by hospitality guests. There was also anger at the sacking of the Edinburgh coach, Rob Moffat, two months ago. The RFU has replaced the title sponsor of its autumn internationals, Investec, which will end a 12-year association in August. QBE, an insurance company which already had an arrangement with the union, will start a four-year deal in September next year. Northampton will warm up for next season with a series of testing friendlies. After playing Russia in August at Franklin's Gardens, Saints will travel to France to face the Top 14 finalists, Toulouse and Montpellier. They will then play Leinster, who beat them in last month's Heineken Cup final, at a venue that has not yet been confirmed. The England Saxons lock Dave Attwood is out of Saturday's Churchill Cup final against Canada at Sixways, with a knee injury. Attwood, who is set to join Bath from Gloucester, suffered the injury in the 41-14 win over Tonga at Kingsholm on Sunday. The Sale back-rower Carl Fearns has been called up as a replacement and another Shark, James Gaskell, will provide second-row cover.