Former Argentina international Agustin Pichot’s late bid to become the next World Rugby chairman has triggered current incumbent Sir Bill Beaumont into a vow of an independent review if he remains in charge of the global game at next month’s election.

Pichot has vowed to shake up rugby union to embrace its growing appeal and build on the success of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which saw Japan qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time, with the 45-year-old promising a “global realignment” of competitions to result in the financial and commercial opportunities to “move on from the time where those benefits were for just a few”.

Having been vice-chairman to Beaumont throughout his tenure, the former Pumas scrum-half saw himself ousted as the ex-England captain aligned himself with Bernard Laporte, the current head of the French Rugby Federation, which resulted in a late entry from Pichot for the top job.

Beaumont’s re-election campaign has focused around five key points of:

• Governance reform
• Reinforcing international competitions with a focus outside the traditional rugby nations
• Strengthening financial sustainability
• Consulting players to improve their welfare
• Developing the women’s game

​​But Pichot’s sudden move has brought a fresh pledge out of Beaumont, who will look to appoint two independent figures to carry out a “wide-ranging governance review led by two independently appointed people”. 

The 1980 Grand Slam-winning England captain has also promised to consult “all major rugby stakeholders” and experts outside of the game to help bring in fresh ideas.

“Our aim is to have a more representative and diverse international federation that better serves the game, not one that is seen to only support the ‘old guard’,” Beaumont said in response to criticism in recent years that the make-up of World Rugby only continues to serve the established rugby nations such as England, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France.

“For rugby to thrive we need for it to grow into a global sport and move beyond its traditional territories.

“To achieve this we need a coherent and meaningful global calendar that supports those at the top of the game and develops those aspiring to be there.

“We also need to make our sport more attractive to everyone who plays and watches, as well as the broadcasters.”

The future of World Rugby comes at a time when the sport finds itself facing significant financial troubles in the coming months due to the coronavirus crisis. A number of unions were already struggling before all professional rugby was suspended after the outbreak of Covid-19, with the Rugby Football Union predicting losses of up to £50m across the next 18 months with the Wales, Scotland and New Zealand unions all expecting similar struggles, while both Rugby Australia and USA Rugby appear to be in significantly worse shape.

Beaumont was unanimously elected in 2016 as the replacement for Frenchman Bernard Lapasset, but Pichot’s late bid received immediate support from 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward and former Samoa international Dan Leo, who has been a vocal supporter in growing the game for the good of the smaller rugby nations that offer the sport so much.

Pichot’s bid will be powered by his belief that a tournament akin to the Nations Championship idea that was squashed last year is the only thing that will save a sport that was already in trouble before the coronavirus pandemic struck, with the Argentine left in little doubt that the decision to scrap that proposal shows that World Rugby needs new leadership.

“The game already had a crisis, not only about the alignment of the calendar, but also not having an efficient management,” Pichot told Reuters from his home in Buenos Aires.

“In January, we decided, with a lot of nations, to challenge the status quo. We thought things would be under big pressure (this year), and two months later, coronavirus hits the world and we thought, ‘now is the time’.”

Pichot’s plan also has the backing of private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, who have already invested heavily in the Premiership, Pro14 and the Six Nations. His desire for a Nations Championship would spell the end of the traditional test series’ in the summer and autumn, which he believes offer very little in terms of seriousness and attract little at a time when sports will have to compete much harder for broadcasting rights deals.

“I want a global game, I want more direct investment,” Pichot added. “With this crisis now, it is obvious we have to take care of not just the emerging nations, but also the established ones as well. It is a crucial moment to start reshaping the game.

“You have a Rugby World Cup every four years, but it is what you do in between that is the key issue. You need to bring meaningful Test matches. If it is two championships linked into one, then it has to be that way. But it cannot be where you just have friendlies (in July and November) with no meaning. It doesn’t work, that is an old way of looking at things.

“CVC, who came into Six Nations, can tell you the same thing. They want an organised (global) calendar.

“If it is with Sanzaar (South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia Rugby) included, much better, because you combine the income of those two hemispheres, plus bring new markets. It is not rocket science, it is very easy to know it means more income.”

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