Australia’s Brett Robinson said it was a “proud moment” for him after becoming the first president of World Rugby from the Southern Hemisphere on Thursday and vowed to unite all the different factions.
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The 54-year-old former Wallabies flanker succeeds England’s Bill Beaumont, who steps down after eight years.
Robinson received 27 votes in the World Rugby Council’s second round of voting, alongside former France international Abdelatif Benazzi’s 25 votes. Italy’s Andrea Rinaldo was eliminated in the first round with 9 votes.
“This is a great privilege. It’s a game I’ve been close to my whole life,” Robinson said at a press conference.
“It’s a proud moment. I want to recognize Bill Beaumont for his eight years of leadership.”
Robinson, who will serve four years and may choose to run for one term, said his mission is to be a unifying force.
Argentina’s Agustin Pichot, seen by many as a force for real change, was furious after being denied election to the executive committee.
“This is a British game. “It is a victory for Britain,” he told The Times.
Robinson suggested fig leaves.
“We have a difference of opinion,” he said.
“We have some challenges and some people will be disappointed after the election.
“In my role, it’s really important to bring the game together and agree on what shared success looks like and pursue it together.
“Because as a game we know that the most united teams are the strongest.” Robinson, an orthopedic surgeon, said there are five main themes he wants to convey.
These include “financial sustainability across all member unions amid a growing cost base and wage inflation” and “growing fans and players through investments in player safety, legal reform and innovation.”
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World Rugby plans to invest 40 million pounds ($51 million) over the next few years, including mouthguards for all global competitions.
“John (new Vice President Jonathan Webb) and I are both clinicians,” Robinson said.
“So healthcare is at the core of our personal purpose.
“So not only are we both incredibly passionate about the game, but we’re also passionate about creating a safe environment for players.” Robinson helped lead concussion research at the University of Queensland. “We want this game to be safe and we want to do everything we can to make sure little boys and girls, moms and dads feel safe while playing this great game. Because there is so much more to offer,” he said.
Former England international Webb said “machoism” had disappeared from rugby. He said there was an instance in last weekend’s match where an opposing player told the referee to stop play because the opponent was injured.
Since retiring as a player, Robinson has concentrated on his business and sees the biennial Nations Championship as a priority to boost his overburdened rugby revenues.
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He was bitterly disappointed when the idea was rejected in 2019, but the first outing is scheduled for 2026.
There will be a North and South pool comprising the Six Nations, with Japan and Fiji expected to join the existing four Rugby Championship nations (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina).
From 2030, a second division of 12 countries will be promoted and relegated.
“I’m really excited,” Robinson said. “There was a bit of frustration with the poor start to the last Nations Championship.
“But it was a monumental decision at the World Cup last November to finally, perhaps for the first time in 30 years, agree this meaningful annual calendar where we would play twice in each cycle.
“It’s probably one of the most important things we’ve been able to achieve during my time in rugby.” Robinson has also advocated speeding up the game, including time limits for scrums and setting up lineouts.
“We’ve implemented some of these changes, increasing the time on the ball and the length of the play by more than three minutes,” Robinson said.
“There are still some things that disappoint us, but this is a huge improvement.”
