'We voted for Gus Pichot': New Zealand Rugby hits out at Six Nations rivals, demands change at World Rugby
New Zealand Rugby has unequivocally outlined its voting stance for the World Rugby chairman elections by putting the boot into the inherent Six Nations’ self-interest and stating the need for major global reforms.
Secret voting for the World Rugby chairman role contested by incumbent Bill Beaumont and Argentina’s Agustin Pichot ceases on Friday (NZT) but a winner will not be declared until May 12.
The Herald has previously reported that the Six Nations will fall in behind Beaumont, with Sanzaar instead favouring Pichot’s vision for long-overdue change, leaving a north versus south standoff and Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama with a potentially casting say.
Following NZ Rugby’s annual general meeting, chairman Brent Impey bluntly outlined exactly why New Zealand and its Southern Hemisphere allies have had enough of the status quo.
“Yes we have voted and we voted for Gus Pichot,” Impey said. “We understand it’s very close.
“We have felt dissatisfaction over the lack of progress over the last few years over a range of issues, whether they be the Nations Championship, emerging nations, issues around eligibility, rule changes.
“While we’ve got great respect for Bill Beaumont as an individual, this has become an issue where there has been a lot of self-protection from existing players versus those of us, particularly the Sanzaar nations, who want to see the game grow.
“That’s why we have supported him.
“If you look back over many years World Rugby has been very frustrating from a New Zealand perspective.”
Impey went further by singling out Ireland, Scotland and Wales for blockading attempts to launch the touted 12-team Nations Championship, despite the promise of $6.6 billion investment over the first 12 years.
“That was the straw that said this organisation [World Rugby] needs major reform.
“What became very clear was that a number of countries in the Six Nations – I’m primarily talking about the Celtic countries and Italy – were not prepared to be open to promotion relegation and moving away from their protected competition.
“On this side of the equator, we were open to the inclusion of the likes of Japan and Fiji and other emerging markets longer term.”
Impey stressed NZ Rugby had previously tried to push for eligibility changes – ironically now being championed by Beaumont in order to secure Samoa’s vote – that would allow the likes of Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua to represent their Pacific heritage after being captured by tier-one nations.
Using NZ Rugby as an example, Impey said while his organisation is not there yet constitutional changes had been made to include greater M?ori and female representation on New Zealand’s board with Jennifer Kerr joining Dr Farah Palmer.
“World Rugby simply doesn’t represent anything like that.”
On the field, NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson faced Pichot several times in England when their rival Cambridge and Richmond teams squared off.
“He was a typical little stroppy Latin halfback,” Robinson said. “He was a great guy, a lot of fun off the field and a pain on it. We’ve become good friends over the course of the last five years.
“He makes a difference in every setting he’s in. He’s very passionate; he cares deeply about all levels of the game. He’s innovative. He’s entrepreneurial. He’s someone I know, if he is successful, would invest every minute into doing his absolute best for the good of the game.”
Which rugby player would do the best in the @NBA? pic.twitter.com/y8ZXwwsFtz
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 30, 2020
As the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to cripple the code Robinson revealed World Rugby has, meanwhile, offered to advance the £7.5 million (NZD $15.2m) payment made to all tier-one nations in a typical four-year cycle.
NZ Rugby is yet to decide whether to access that support now, rather than wait, but after posting a $7.4m loss for 2019 and projecting a 70 per cent decline in revenue this year, Robinson indicated that payment would help plug the bleeding, somewhat.
“It is what it is around World Rugby they’ve got limitations themselves. We’re certainly grateful for all the support we can get from any avenue.
“In terms of the gaps we have we need to do more in terms of looking to raise more revenue and reduce costs where possible.
“Our team is modeling when we might be looking at engaging in that support. All unions will be in slightly different positions. Those in the north this pandemic has hit them at a stage where they are coming into their summer so they might not be as drastically hit as we have been.
“Certainly in the Southern Hemisphere I know this is impacting very seriously so there’s immediate conversations around that support now.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
1 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
21 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
21 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments