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Report: Alan Gilpin a 'sure thing' to replace Gosper as World Rugby CEO
By Ian Cameron
Alan Gilpin is reportedly a sure thing to take over from Brett Gosper as the CEO of World Rugby, according to reports in the UK today.
Chris Foy in the Daily Mail reports that Gilpin, the current COO of World Rugby and the Head of Rugby World Cup, is a hot favourite to takeover the role that has been vacated by Gosper, and that his appointment is something of a formality.
Gilpin's inhouse bid to become chief executive is apparently favoured by both World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont and vice-chairman Bernard Laporte.
Many fans won't be familiar with Gilpin, although some will remember his most public appearance to date as the man who officially cancelled two Rugby World Cup pool games in Japan due to an impending typhoon Hagibis.
A fervent Liverpool football fan, Gilpin has been COO of World Rugby since 2016, and Head of the Rugby World Cup since 2014 and is acting as interim CEO.
Dan Leo, head of Pacific Rugby Welfare said of Gilpin's imminent appointment: "Don’t know anything about him but keen to know what he will do differently? Really hope it’s not the case of ‘New face, same approach to problems’
Gosper is leaving rugby to join the National Football League (NFL) as the American sporting giant's head of Europe and UK. Gosper, who oversaw record-breaking editions of the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and 2019, has been appointed by the NFL to drive the next stage of the league's growth in Europe.
"I feel very privileged to have led a great organisation like World Rugby for the best part of a decade, but I am now ready for a new challenge," said Gosper earlier this month, "a very difficult decision to leave."
"I am incredibly excited to be joining the very impressive and ambitious team at the NFL and helping the most valuable and watched sports league in the US win even more hearts in Europe and the UK.
"I am proud of what we have achieved together as a rugby family. While I will miss working in the sport, my passion and enthusiasm for what rugby and its values mean to so many will never diminish."
Gosper, who lives in London, will begin his new role in 2021.
- additional reporting AAP
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Agree with Wilson B- at best. And that is down to skilled individual players who know how to play the game - not a cohesive squad who know their roles and game plan. For those who claim that takes time to develop, the process is to keep the game plan simple at first and add layers as the squad gels and settles in to the new systems. Lack of progress against the rush D, lack of penetration and innovation in the mid-field, basic skill errors and loose forwards coming second in most big games all still evident in game 14 of the season. Hard to see significant measureable progress.
Go to commentsKeep telling yourself that. The time for a fresh broom is at the beginning - not some "balanced, incremental" (i.e. status quo) transition. All teams establish the way forward at the beginning. This coaching group lacked ideas and courage and the players showed it on the pitch. Backs are only average. Forwards are unbalanced and show good set piece but no domination in traditional AB open play. Unfortunately, Foster - Mark 2. You may be happy with those performances and have some belief in some "cunning plan" but I don't see any evidence of it. Rassie is miles ahead and increasing the gap.
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