Former Wallabies flanker Brett Robinson considering bid

The Brisbane businessman, who currently serves as CEO of RetireAustralia, needs a majority of the 52 World Rugby board members to win the presidency. Robinson flies to Paris this week for the World Rugby conference, where he will no doubt have something to say as the majority of voting member unions are also in attendance to watch the Olympic Sevens.

The six-nation confederation has three votes each, with Australia, the other SANZAAR confederations and Japan also having three votes. Canada, Georgia, Samoa, Romania, the United States and Uruguay each have one vote. The remaining votes are made up of the six regional associations representing Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania, each with two votes.

In Robinson’s favour he will be seen as a more moderate candidate than the hot-tempered Argentine Agustin Pichot, who ran unsuccessfully for World Rugby president in 2020, and he could also be seen as a modern-day alternative to the 65-year-old Jeffrey.

Jeffrey is currently vice-chairman of World Rugby but sources familiar with World Rugby politics, who declined to comment for confidentiality reasons, believe the Six Nations will not automatically support the Scots as a group, particularly at a time when World Rugby is developing a new strategy around the global game and new markets, and trying to focus on fan engagement through rule innovation.

It was also a major coup for rugby in Australia and New Zealand, two countries whose efforts to compete against domestic rivals have been largely ignored in Europe.

Former Rugby Australia boss John O’Neill, who served on World Rugby’s executive committee for 14 years, said Robinson would be a strong candidate for World Rugby president.

“I think it’s definitely a breath of fresh air to have someone with Brett’s credentials take on this position – he has both the football credentials and the professional credentials,” O’Neill told the newspaper.

“His rugby career is well known. He has captained the Brumbies, represented Australia, worked with me as head of the ARU High Performance Unit, is a medical doctor, a doctor of philosophy and a successful businessman. He is at an age with modern ideas, looking beyond the box to explore ways and opportunities to make rugby more popular and safer.

“I know he is held in high esteem by the World Rugby Board and the Executive Committee. He is definitely not sitting on the bench – he continues to make a vital contribution to world rugby.”

loading

Robinson said he believed the game should be led by a “chairman who can create the right culture, built on good governance – driving a high-performing board, communicating well with member unions and overseeing executives with advisory capabilities and accountability”.

Robinson said in a statement: “(The chairman must be) highly capable, commercially minded, with the financial expertise to run a global business, while also being meticulous in maintaining integrity. (And) be up-to-date, player-focused, determined to drive reforms to modernise the ‘format of the game’ while ensuring the game remains focused on issues of player safety and welfare … (and) have the determination and energy to chart a course and stay the course.”

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Subscribe to our sports newsletter.