Jeff Blackett announced on Friday that he will not resign from his position as honorary disciplinary officer of the English Rugby Football Union (RFU).

Blackett had been considering his position after being disappointed with the RFU council's response to his report into the process which saw John Steele hired and then fired as Chief Executive.

Martyn Thomas was forced to resign as RFU chairman after a panel headed by Blackett produced a damning report into last month's sacking of Steele.

Thomas warned he could take legal action if the report, which was thought to call on the chairman and eight of the RFU's nine non-executive board members to stand down immediately, was published.

Blackett insists he will stay in his position, but made it clear he was unimpressed with the manner in which things had been handled.

In a statement released by the RFU, Blackett said: "I have spent the last week considering my future as honorary disciplinary officer of the RFU. I have decided not to resign and, given the amount of media interest, I thought it important that I explain why.

"The report contains some criticism of the former chairman of the RFU, the board and some of the governance of the union.

"We were particularly very disappointed about the amount of leaking of confidential information which caused significant reputational damage to the union.

"My panel and I were disappointed by council's decisions and I indicated that I would have to consider my position.

"During the discussion the issue which caused me the most distress personally concerned a threat of legal proceedings against my panel for defamation if the report is published, which was served during the debate in council.

"Any such proceedings would not succeed but I felt that their, and my, integrity was being impugned."