Agustin Pichot confident of ousting Sir Bill Beaumont

David Skippers

KYOTO, JAPAN - MAY 10: Fujio Mitarai, Chairman of the RWC 2019 Organising Committee receives the William Webb Ellis cup from Agustin Pichot, Vice-Chairman of World Rugby during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Pool Draw at the Kyoto State Guest House on May 10, in Kyoto, Japan. Photo by Dave Rogers - World Rugby/PARSPIX/ABACAPRESS.COM

World Rugby vice-chairman Agustin Pichot is quietly confident of causing an upset by ousting Sir Bill Beaumont as World Rugby chairman.

A former scrum-half, who played in 71 Tests for Argentina from 1995 to 2007, Pichot knows that he is the underdog, ahead of the election which will take place at the World Rugby’s annual meeting on May 12 but said he has been encouraged by his campaign.

“I think it is going to be tough, but I am an optimist,” he told the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

“I strongly believe that it could happen.

“But I am doing this because I love the game. If it’s OK, it’s OK, but if it’s not OK, it’s fine, and I will carry on in rugby in some shape or form.”

Beaumont is the favourite to be re-elected largely due to the support he is receiving from the Six Nations unions, who hold 18 of the 51 votes between them and Pichot expects them all to support the former Rugby Football Union chairman and ex-England captain.

Rugby Europe has also given its support to Beaumont, but Pichot has the backing of the Southern Hemisphere SANZAAR countries (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), and has also been campaigning for the emerging nations as he looks to cause an upset.

“I am starting 20 votes against 14,” said Pichot.

“If you take the SANZAAR votes plus the votes from South America, it is 14, against the Six Nations and Europe which is 20 – so it is a big thing to row [back].”

The 45-year-old has made it known that he is keen for change in the sport and said it’s unfair that Tier One nations hold three votes each in the elections.

“We talk about values, but why do we have 30 of the 51 votes split between 10 nations? That is not the democracy of the 21st century,” added Pichot.

“Fiji has one vote and Argentina has three, why? Every kid in the world would ask you: ‘why?’

“I will challenge that. I am not saying everyone should have three votes, but I am saying that type of progress has to be done to make an equal game.”

The former Los Pumas captain believes the Six Nations holds too much power in the global game. The the Northern Hemisphere unions are determined to retain the status quo, although Pichot stressed that he wants the tournament to continue to prosper.

“I am not an anarchist who wants a revolution of everything,” he added.

“I want the Six Nations to be really successful, but you have to be generous with the people beside you.

“Six Nations feel with me that I am threatening their product, I am not. But I am saying they have to be more equal and more generous.

“I don’t want to cut the Six Nations, I want to make it bigger. I want an Irish sold in Tunisia, a Wales shirt in Canada or China. That is the growth of the game.

“Look at the NBA, the NFL, soccer. When you go to India or Vietnam you see shirts all over the place; that is a global game.”

 

Argentina