it absolutely should NOT have to be a 'rugby' man, in fact it doesn't even need someone from a sporting background IMHO.
I reckon you could bin off the whole of the hierachy/pigs at the trough and replace them with fewer than half to do the same job more efficiently but with more staffers.
offer the job up at 500k+ strict performance related bonuses over a 6-7 year period. Give them full rein to make swathing changes/get rid of the chaff, very likely someone from private industry with a track record of success, integrity and contacts/influence. something that the RFL board lacks in abundance.
Forcing the change is the problem, none of the pigs will give up what they have, not until they kick the bucket/too senile to find the trough. The clubs breaking away from the RFL in totality would not be an easy thing to do, there's also a risk element to it, maybe something similar to the soccer premiership.

A lot of hot air & rubbish is being spouted on here. Us anoraks my be obsessive about our sport & care about it but the game is owned by the owners of the clubs we are just customers we either turn up & pay or we don't, the only way the game will grow is if more people turn up & at the moment we are not doing it. Nigel wood is only the mouth piece for the owners & what he earns is their business. All this talk of stake holders is a myth the game is owned & run by a couple of dozen men our opinions are only important to us. I wish it were not true but that's the way it is.