Revealed: The nations deciding next World Rugby boss as north and south set for standoff
The irony of the vote to determine the next World Rugby chairman is the often-maligned tier two nations hold the balance of power to shape the game’s future.
The April 26 vote, set to take place via email, to either reinstate former England captain Bill Beaumont or anoint Argentinian halfback turned passionate administrator Agustin Pichot’s fresh vision for the global game, is brewing another north versus south standoff.
Sanzaar’s collective – New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Argentina – are expected to throw their support behind Pichot’s push for change.
The Six Nations unions are, meanwhile, aligning behind Beaumont’s status quo.
Such a familiar, fraught script leaves smaller nations controlling the fate of the next global chairman.
As politicking ramps up behind the scenes, the Herald has obtained a circulating document which, while one-sided, attempts to expose Beaumont’s broken promises over the last four years.
Titled “fact checking Bill’s pledges” the document outlines five key points, starting with the failure to deliver a global season.
In 2016, when elected chairman, Beaumont pledged to address the global season, review expansion into the likes of a world club championship and look at moving the Six Nations to later in the season.
None of which transpired.
Four years on, following the failed bid to get the Nations Championship concept off the ground, Beaumont is again promising to deliver an aligned global calendar.
The second point of contention in the document is dubbed “fairness”.
In 2016, Beaumont said by the end of his term more tier two nations would be playing the established elite. Yet Georgia remains indefinitely frozen out of the Six Nations, while other tier two nations frequently bemoan their lack of progress and top-table influence.
Next on the agenda is finance.
Four years ago Beaumont said he would ensure World Rugby has a sound commercial structure that maximises rugby’s potential value. The document instead claims rugby’s financial situation is worse now than in 2016.
New Zealand Rugby have revealed All Blacks star Sam Whitelock could make a surprise return to the Crusaders this year.https://t.co/3bVGw3VpDO
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Pichot has called for a decade-long financial plan to offset losses rugby regularly incurs, as the Covid-19 crisis magnifies the lack of financial stability across the board. This is particularly evident as Rugby Australia desperately attempts to avoid financial ruin.
But it is also true of the long-standing inequitable revenue-sharing arrangements between the north and south.
Other issues raised in the document include ongoing player welfare concerns, and the game’s integrity in regards to tackling performance-enhancing drug use.
Based on the fact each nation holds a disproportionate three votes each, most assume Sanzaar and the Six Nations will determine the next chairman.
New Zealand’s three votes will be cast by chief executive Mark Robinson, former All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson and recent Melbourne Storm chairman Bart Campbell, NZ Rugby’s nomination to join World Rugby’s executive committee.
The reality is, however, those at the shallow end of the voting spectrum suddenly assume great importance.
At this point, eight days out from the vote, the Herald has learned 11 of the 50 votes, excluding Beaumont who holds a casing say, remain undecided.
These include North America, the bankrupt United States, Fiji, Samoa, Oceania, Japan, Romania and Georgia.
All will be highly influential in determining the final outcome.
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Other voting blocs such as Rugby Europe, Africa, South America, Asia, all of whom get two votes, are equally as pivotal.
Sources in the north indicate Beaumont is confident of victory. This may be based on the premise that his running vice-chairman, French rugby president Bernard Laporte, appears to have struck deals with swing voting countries.
France have, for instance, backed Fiji’s nomination for World Rugby’s executive committee, Francis Kean, who was convicted of manslaughter after killing a man in 2006.
France also seconded Africa’s nomination to the same committee, Khaled Babbou.
On the other side of the fence Argentina withdrew their pitch to host the 2027 World Cup, leaving Australia as the sole bid at this stage. Argentina also supported Australia’s nomination for the World Rugby’s executive committee, Brett Robinson.
From a Sanzaar perspective, Pichot is seen as an energised, inter-generational figure who will finally shake up the gin and tonic brigade and achieve long-overdue global progress.
Whether he gets the chance, though, rests with many smaller rugby nations often overlooked.
– By Liam Napier
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
Comments on RugbyPass
I don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
24 Go to comments