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Report: Alan Gilpin a 'sure thing' to replace Gosper as World Rugby CEO
Alan Gilpin is reportedly a sure thing to take over from Brett Gosper as the CEO of World Rugby, according to reports in the UK today.
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Chris Foy in the Daily Mail reports that Gilpin, the current COO of World Rugby and the Head of Rugby World Cup, is a hot favourite to takeover the role that has been vacated by Gosper, and that his appointment is something of a formality.
Gilpin’s inhouse bid to become chief executive is apparently favoured by both World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont and vice-chairman Bernard Laporte.
Many fans won’t be familiar with Gilpin, although some will remember his most public appearance to date as the man who officially cancelled two Rugby World Cup pool games in Japan due to an impending typhoon Hagibis.
A fervent Liverpool football fan, Gilpin has been COO of World Rugby since 2016, and Head of the Rugby World Cup since 2014 and is acting as interim CEO.
Dan Leo, head of Pacific Rugby Welfare said of Gilpin’s imminent appointment: “Don’t know anything about him but keen to know what he will do differently? Really hope it’s not the case of ‘New face, same approach to problems’
Don’t know anything about him but keen to know what he will do differently? Really hope it’s not the case of ‘New face, same approach to problems’ @WorldRugby https://t.co/u3NntAtavB
— Daniel Leo (@danleo82) December 20, 2020
Gosper is leaving rugby to join the National Football League (NFL) as the American sporting giant’s head of Europe and UK. Gosper, who oversaw record-breaking editions of the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and 2019, has been appointed by the NFL to drive the next stage of the league’s growth in Europe.
“I feel very privileged to have led a great organisation like World Rugby for the best part of a decade, but I am now ready for a new challenge,” said Gosper earlier this month, “a very difficult decision to leave.”
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“I am incredibly excited to be joining the very impressive and ambitious team at the NFL and helping the most valuable and watched sports league in the US win even more hearts in Europe and the UK.
“I am proud of what we have achieved together as a rugby family. While I will miss working in the sport, my passion and enthusiasm for what rugby and its values mean to so many will never diminish.”
Gosper, who lives in London, will begin his new role in 2021.
– additional reporting AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
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