The man who spearheaded Fiji Rugby Union’s path to a historic World Rugby Council seat last year, is one of the eight nominees for the seven available World Rugby executive committee positions.

Not only that, FRU board chairman Francis Kean also worked tirelessly behind the scene for the past years in ensuring that Rugby House meets and complies with all the requirements of World Rugby.

Kean was supported by the board members and FRU chief executive officer John O’Connor. He was nominated by FRU and seconded by the French Rugby Federation.

Speaking to SUNsports yesterday, O’Connor confirmed the nomination.

“According to the World Rugby constitution since Mr Kean is a council member from last year, he can be nominated for the executive committee position,” O’Connor said.

“We are grateful to French Rugby for endorsing our nomination. We had discussions and because of our good relations they supported us.

“We nominated Mr Kean so he could also be a representative for the Tier 2 nations at the executive committee.”

The other nominees included five incumbents: Mark Alexander from South Africa, Welshman Gareth Davies, Scotland’s John Jeffrey, Bob Latham from the United States and Australia’s Brett Robinson.

New Zealand’s Bart Campbell and Khaled Babbou from Rugby Africa joined Kean in seeking to be elected to their first four-year term.

To be elected, executive committee nominees need to be one of the seven candidates who win the highest number of votes.

Meanwhile, former Argentina halfback Agustin Pichot confirmed he would challenge Sir Bill Beaumont for the role of World Rugby Chair.

Sir Bill was standing for a second term and had promised a major review of the way World Rugby was run if re-elected next month, including a review of current eligibility rules.

However, current vice-chairman Pichot proposed a greater voice and more top-level matches for emerging nations, such as Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, and said the Covid-19 pandemic was an opportunity for the global realignment of the sport.

If Pichot was successful, he would become the first World Rugby Chair from outside of Europe’s Six Nations.

But, despite his pitch towards Pacific rugby nations, the FRU had indicated their support for the incumbent, with Sir Bill Beaumont’s nomination proposed by the French Rugby Federation and seconded by the FRU.

Former France coach Bernard Laporte was running alongside Beaumont and was the only nominee for vice-chairman. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Rugby Council meeting would be held remotely on May 12.

Votes would be cast remotely by secret ballot, with the chairman, vice-chairman and executive committee to be elected to a four-year term.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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