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Candidates to become new Chair of World Rugby confirmed
By Jon Newcombe
Three former Test forwards have been confirmed as the candidates to replace Sir Bill Beaumont as Chair of World Rugby once his second term in office runs its course in the middle of next month.
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France’s Abdelatif Benazzi is arguably the best-known of the trio after a 78-cap career for Les Bleus. Benazzi has been nominated by France, who he represented between 1990 and 2001, and seconded by South Africa.
The 56-year-old will be running against fellow lock and former Italy international, Professor Andrea Rinaldo, whose candidacy has been endorsed by Italy and seconded by Ireland, while ex-Wallaby, Brett Robinson, the youngest of the trio, has been put forward by his own country and seconded by England.
If elected, Robinson would become the first person from the Southern Hemisphere to hold the role since its inception in 1996.
The three candidates will contest the election for the Chair of World Rugby at the Interim Meeting of Council in Dublin, Ireland, on November 14.
Meanwhile, two World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees are among the 13 nominees for the six available positions on the World Rugby Executive Board. They are Rugby World Cup-winning captain John Eales and former Vice-Chair of World Rugby, Agustin Pichot.
At the November 14th meeting, the 52 members of Council will first elect the new Chair, followed by six Executive Board members, from whom the Vice-Chair will be chosen.
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ANYONE except Robinson.
Robinson is the only real hope for the games future..
Never in a million years, unless you're an Aussie who wants union to become a 15 man version of league. Maybe it'd become 'seven tackles, kick' as a variation.
I hope the winner is a real rugby man and not a bully, we had enough of that. Look at all the cards.
Greatest wish. Common sense should prevaile. These cards are killing the game.
Pick me! I have all the solutions.
SA will miss Beaumont with his enforced mandate to all WR officials to ensure SA appear competitive. Benazzi would just be mini me version of Beaumont. Robinson is by far and away the true rugby lovers choice primarily because he will eliminate the embarrassing bias and favoritism that SA have enjoyed for past 3 years. He will also make a concerted effort to make the game more fan friendly.
Lol what on earth are you on bro 😂 🤣 😅? I want some. Dumbest thing I've read all week. South Africa will be successful with or without mandated laws. If you don't see that, you're as blind as Kiwis thinking they are feared. But no malice mate. SA will be good either way fam
That Kiwi weed is affecting your judgement. Show me favouritism and ill show you the All Lacks winning in Europe.
Naaigie! So happy to see that your parole was approved. Wishing you a good time in the backseat this afternoon!
Under no circumstances should Robinson be made chairman. The only reason I can see him being put forward is so he can change the rules even more to make rugby union a challenger to their boring (five tackles, kick ad nauseam) rugby league. It's not the union game's fault that Aussies seem to prefer their winter sports (Aussie Rules first, league second, union a distant third) a bit simpler to understand than the rest of us, who are seeing our existing fantastic game already being harmed by stupid Antipodean-suggested rule changes like the 20 minute reds that will lead to more head injuries thanks to rugby-league style standing-up tackling that suits their way of playing. HE MUST BE STOPPED!!
The last thing Rugby needs is another forward to replace Beaumont as Chair as this is only likely to continue the cycle of boring rolling maul rugby. Beaumont's hope was that this style of rugby would ensure that England rose to the top of the rugby world, but as it turned out, the South African game was even more suited to boring rolling maul rugby. Running rugby anybody?
The Boks only played forward biased rugby in RWC2023 because of the awful weather*. Have you watched them lately? Tony Brown was brought in to assist Rassie to make the best of the huge running talent in SA and it's starting to work. Wait for RWC2027 to see it in all it's glory (unless the Aussies do a Bryce Lawrence to try to win their home world championship like a certain other union did for theirs). Actually, let's see what happens in their final test of the Autumn series at the best rugby stadium in the world at Cardiff, hopefully with the roof closed. You might be surprised.
*And a good reason to have every one in early summer, like the football version.