Wynne Gray: Weirdo list of who holds rugby power

Our own and unrivalled test match leader Richie McCaw is the Daily Telegraph's most powerful man in the game. Photo / Paul Escourt

The most powerful figure in world rugby? Perhaps the chairman or chief executive of World Rugby, boss of a television network such as Sky or BT Sport, or head of the law revision committee.

Not in the eyes of the Daily Telegraph, which has run up a list of the 50 most powerful people in rugby union, a register that reinforces the perception of Britain as a land of quirky eccentrics or people with a misguided monocular view of the universe.

There is no list of criteria the (faceless) judges used for the choices or any mention of how they came up with their decisions.

They put the unrivalled test match leader Richie McCaw as their most powerful man in the game, although referees such as Craig Joubert and Nigel Owens might have something to whistle about there.

Owens does make the list as the 32nd most powerful person but Joubert misses out altogether.

Rounding out the top 10 behind McCaw are Brian O'Driscoll, Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson, John Eales, Warren Gatland, Nick Farr-Jones, Steve Hansen, Clive Woodward and Francois Pienaar.

The six other players have been retired for some time, Clive Woodward pens a column for another newspaper, while at least Gatland and Hansen are current coaches.

Quite how Gatland is rated as more powerful than Hansen is another mystery in this weirdo macho list which has only two female entries, England rugby captain Katy McLean and BT Sport managing director Delia Bushell at No 50.

Nearly fossilised former Wallaby coach Bob Dwyer is rated a lot higher than Steve Tew while Jonah Lomu, the most influential player in the modern history of the game - think Rupert Murdoch and professionalism - is rated 17th most powerful person.

It's time to get some perspective on this vexed list, to work through some serious names or powerbrokers in this professional rugby business. Let's muscle up with our top five and keep it as Pommycentric as we can.

•William Webb Ellis must be there, the founder of the game, the schoolboy with the dislike for round-ball who allegedly picked up the pig's bladder in 1823 and ran with it.

•Keith Kent left school at 16 and ran away to be a trainee groundsman coming to Twickers via Leicester City and Old Trafford. He is the man with the STOP sign for anyone foolishly trying to get a feel of the sacred turf without his decree.

•Gerard McEvilly (true name), the RFU's head of discipline, who scans his CCTV screens with intent for any mischief-makers and will enforce the picnic ban in the West Carpark which will be reserved for sponsors, functions and officials.

•Stuart Green is the governor of the nearby Cabbage Patch Pub on London Rd, a man who will be on the money ordering trucks and trailers of kegs at this hangout for thirsty rugby fans.

•South African Jaco Peyper will be the first ref on to the prized turf for England's opening hit out against Fiji and has been consulting former referees boss Paddy O'Brien on how to stiff the visitors.