Three candidates will contest the election for the Chair of World Rugby at the Interim Meeting of Council in Dublin, Ireland, on 14 November, 2024.
The candidates are (in alphabetical order):
Abdelatif Benazzi (France) nominated by France and seconded by South Africa
Andrea Rinaldo (Italy) nominated by Italy and seconded by Ireland
Brett Robinson (Australia) nominated by Australia and seconded by England
Meanwhile, 13 nominations have been received for the six available positions on the World Rugby Executive Board, the first to sit under a new governance mandate of widened independent, player, national and regional representation. They are:
High Performance Union (North) (x2)
Susan Carty (Ireland) nominated by Ireland and seconded by England
Richard Collier-Keywood (Wales) nominated by Wales and seconded by South Africa
Jonathan Webb (England) nominated by England and seconded by New Zealand
High Performance Union (South) (x2)
Mark Alexander (South Africa) nominated by South Africa and seconded by France and New Zealand
Bart Campbell (New Zealand) nominated by New Zealand and seconded by South Africa
John Eales (Australia) nominated by Australia and seconded by Oceania Rugby
Agustín Pichot (Argentina) nominated by Argentina and seconded by Sudamérica Rugby
Non-High-Performance Union (x1)
Sally Dennis (Canada) nominated by Canada and seconded by Japan
Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi (Samoa) nominated by Samoa and seconded by New Zealand
Sebastian Piñeyrúa (Uruguay) nominated by Uruguay and seconded by Argentina
Regional Association (x1)
Qais Al-Dhalai (Asia Rugby) nominated by Asia Rugby and seconded by Fiji
Herbert Mensah (Rugby Africa) nominated by Rugby Africa and seconded by South Africa
Richard Sapias (Oceania Rugby) nominated by Oceania Rugby and seconded by New Zealand
In line with Bye-Law 9, all nominations were received by the 15 October deadline, proposed and seconded by a member union or regional association, and were subject to a vetting process.
At the meeting, the 52 members of Council will first elect the new Chair, followed by six Executive Board members, from whom the Vice-Chair will be chosen. The process will be monitored by scrutineers, and voting results will be published. Elected officials will serve a maximum four-year term, dependent on previously appointed individuals not reaching the eight-year aggregate term limit within this period (this does not apply to the elected Chair, who may serve up to two terms).
The six elected representatives will join the World Rugby Chair, World Rugby Chief Executive, Independent EventsCo Chair (to be appointed following an independent recruitment process), three independent members (approved by the Council – two female, including Angela Ruggiero whose current mandate runs through to 2027) and two athlete representatives nominated by International Rugby Players (IRP) (appointments approved by Council, one male, one female) on the Executive Board.
