World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont and New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive Mark Robinson. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont and New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive Mark Robinson. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
New Zealand Rugby hears the democratic message from their frustrated Pacific Island neighbours loud and clear but wants Bill Beaumont to follow through on promises for global governance reforms.
In the end, the Southern Hemisphere could not unite enough in the World Rugby chairman election, paving the way for Beaumontto be reinstated as the sport's global boss for another four years.
While the Sanzaar nations – New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina – were always playing catch up, their collective support for Agustin Pichot's vision for immediate change set the scene for the North versus South standoff.
That was until Fiji, Samoa and Japan all sided with the entrenched Six Nations powers to quash hopes for a new leader.
Fiji and Samoa's single votes, cast by their respective Prime Ministers, Japan's two, and Rugby Africa's one were ultimately pivotal in deciding the election, which Beaumont won 28-23.
Fiji and Samoa are believed to have sided with Beaumont and his vice-chairman, French rugby president Bernard Laporte, after being promised amended eligibility laws that will allow players of Island heritage, such as Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua, to switch allegiance after being captured by tier-one teams.
Laporte is also thought to have promised Fiji that France will tour there at some stage.
New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey, however, acknowledged the failure to include the Island nations in the Southern Hemisphere's elite competitions also played a major role in their swing of allegiance.
"It would have been good to have had the support of Fiji and Samoa," Impey told the Herald. "We certainly talked to them about their position.
All Blacks wing Ben Smith and his children receive his medal from World Rugby chairman. Sir Bill Beaumont, after their victory over Wales in the Rugby World Cup Bronze Final. Photo / Getty.
"Fiji in particular have been frustrated. They wanted to be involved in the Rugby Championship and Super Rugby for some time and have felt frustration at not being able to achieve that – there are multiple reasons why that is the case, not least being commercial viability.
"In any event, they were frustrated.
"We don't know what, if anything, was promised to these countries by Bill and Bernard Laporte.
"Gus ran a campaign where his was based on principles for change and obviously he was unable to convince Fiji and Samoa, but they're not the only ones."
Impey indicated NZ Rugby would now attempt to mend bridges with their Island neighbours.
Japan, likewise, turned their back on Sanzaar despite seeking inclusion in the Rugby Championship and sharing long-term alignment with the south.
"We need to include Fiji, Samoa and Japan in our sphere. We've got to make sure we're all in the same tent as well. They exercised their democratic right to vote for whoever they wanted to – they voted for Bill.
"We've got to put this election behind us because it did divide the rugby world. It's up to leaders to bring it together.
"Now is the time we have to move forward. If we, too, are true to our principles around driving the game in Asia and the Pacific then we've got to respond as well."
While NZ Rugby was vocal in its support for Pichot, Impey wrote to Beaumont this morning to congratulate him on his re-election.
"We voted for Gus because we voted for change however now the election is over we're going to support Bill 100 per cent.
"The reason we didn't vote for Bill is there has been inactivity and frustration over the past 18 months to two years, but we're over that now.
"From New Zealand Rugby's side, we are in the tent. We've got to be in the same team.
"The challenges around the game are dominated by Covid but even before that the need for transformation and a new way of going forward were obvious to all."
This election reinforced the outdated voting system that premeditates the Six Nations holding the balance of power with three votes each – 18 in total – shared between those northern unions.
Impey reinforced the need for an immediate overhaul of this and other structures.
"One of the things Bill promised is a full governance review of World Rugby. We fully endorse that. There's been no real governance progress around the executive board for a very long time. That's one of our frustrations. We saw the organisation in need of fundamental governance change and that was one of the reasons behind our vote."
Other governance issues include the fact Germany were not consulted in Rugby Europe's two votes.
Asked if he expects Beaumont to deliver on promises relating to the global calendar, emerging nations, growth of women's game and eligibility rules, Impey said: "Time will tell. The proof will be in the pudding.
"A few years ago World Rugby said it was going to grow the game in four markets – Germany, Russia, USA and Brazil. Years have gone by, and there's been no progress.
"Now is the opportunity, now is the time to act. Get on with it."
In the immediate aftermath of the election result suggestions have emerged that Pichot could now walk away from the game, but the former Pumas halfback has given no such indication to NZ Rugby.
"Gus is a terrific person. He has passion; he wanted change, he wanted it quick. He recognised the flaws in World Rugby and he gave it a crack.
"It's very difficult for a person outside the Six Nations to get across the line. You need to have your spinnaker up and full of wind to get here. You only need the odd crinkle in the sail and you're up against it."
Indeed, this missed opportunity for much-needed change at the helm of the global game revealed telling fractures for the south in the form of Fiji, Samoa and Japan.
