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'We have to learn from him': New World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte's urgent plea to Agustin Pichot
By Online Editors
Newly-elected World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte has urged defeated chairman candidate Agustin Pichot not to walk away from the sport following his tight election defeat.
Pitted against incumbent chairman Sir Bill Beaumont, the ex-Argentina captain was widely considered the underdog in the two-man race despite his comparatively progressive stance towards changing the status quo within the global game.
A strong advocate for the progression of developing rugby nations and the enhancement of the sport's status across the board, Pichot fell just short of taking World Rugby's hot seat after losing to Beaumont by a slender margin of just five votes.
The 45-year-old is now weighing up his options as his four-year tenure under Beaumont as vice-president comes to a close, but his successor has called for Pichot to remain in rugby governance.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, former France coach Laporte suggested rugby would be worse off without Pichot's influence, and pleaded that the former 71-test captain to stay on board with the sport in some capacity.
"I have a good relationship with Agustin and we need men with energy and passion to continue in rugby," Laporte told Sportsmail.
"He was not happy about the politics of Bill but this is democracy. The vote was close — 28-23 — and we have to analyse this. Pichot is a great man and we have to learn from him."
The Daily Mail reports that Pichot's defeat came after the final two swing voters - Africa and Japan - opted to back Beaumont.
A report out of Japanese media outlet Nikkei Sports claimed that Japan's allegiance to Beaumont's bid came with a promise from the former England and British and Irish Lions captain that would promote the nation's status to tier one from tier two.
An announcement is expected in the coming days, according to Nikkei Sports, which would make Japan the 11th tier one nation alongside the Six Nations and Rugby Championship members.
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Latest Comments
Yeah nar I pretty much agree with that sentiment, wasn't just about the lineout though.
Yeah, I think it's the future of SR, even TRC. Graham above just now posting about how good a night it was with a dbl header of ENGvSA and NZvFrance, and now I don't want to kick SA or Argentina out of TRC but it would be great if in this next of the woods 2 more top teams could come in to create more of these sort of nights (for rugby's appeal). Often Arg and SA and both travel here and you get those games but more often doesn't work out right.
Obviously a long way off but USA and Japan are the obvious two. First thing we need to do is get Eddie Jones kicked out of Japan so they can start improving again and then get a couple of US teams in SRP (even if one its just a US based and augmented Jaguares).
It will start off the whole conferences are crap debate again (which I will continue to argue vehemently against), but imagine a 6 team Pacific conference, Tokyo Sunwolves (drafted from Tokyo JRLO teams), Tokyo All Stars (made up of best remaining foreign players and overseas drafts), ALL Nihon (best of local non Tokyo based talent, inc China/Korea etc, with mainland Japan), a could of West Coast american franchises and perhaps a second self PI driven Hawai'i based team, or Jagaures. So I see a short NFL like 3 or 4 month comp as fitting best, maybe not even a full round, NZvAUSvPAC, all games taking place within a 6hr window. Model for NZ will definitely still require a competitive and funded NPC!
On the Crusaders, I liked last years ending with Grace on the bench (ovbiously form dependent but thats how it ended) and Lio-Willie at 8. I could have Blackadder trying to be a 7 but think balance will be used with him at 6 and Kellow as 7. Scott Barrett is an international 6 sized player. It is just NZ style/model that pushes him into the tight, I reckon he'd be a great loose player, and saders have Strange and Cahill as bigger players (plus that change could draw someone like Darry back). Same with Haig now, hes not grown yet but Barrett hight and been playing 6, now that the Highlanders have only chosen two locks he'll be playing lock, and that is going to change his growth trajectory massively, rather than seeing him grow like an International 6.
Go to commentsDan Carter is the leading points scorer and leading points per game person for a player with significant tests. 2s RWC winner and member of the games greatest ever team. It's not even close. The only question of GOAT for rugby is whether McCaw deserves it given Carter's numbers.
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