Former Wallaby Brett Robinson has become the first person from the Southern Hemisphere to hold global rugby’s most powerful role after being elected as the new chair of World Rugby.
At World Rugby council elections in Dublin on Thursday, Robinson edged out French opponent Abdel Benazzi by the narrowest of margins to win the role for a four-year term.
In what began as a three-way contest, Italian contender Andrea Rinaldo was dropped after the first round of voting and needing 27 of the 53 votes available from the World Rugby council, Robinson then prevailed over Benazzi by 27-25 in the second round of voting.
The forecasts were that one swing nation could decide the outcome, and that appears to have proved the case. The election campaign saw age-old alliances fractured for the first time, with England backing Robinson and South Africa and Argentina pushing for a Bennazi win.
Robinson, 54, was the inaugural Brumbies captain and is a trained doctor and accomplished businessman.
The Queenslander campaigned on the promise of being a progressive leader who wants to modernise rugby and evolve the game to ensure its appeal to new audiences, and fix up the financial problems plaguing the game.
New World Rugby chair Brett Robinson in Dublin.Credit: World Rugby
Having Robinson in the top job is welcome news for Australian rugby, with RA and World Rugby co-hosting the 2027 and 2029 Rugby World Cups.
“It is an immense privilege and honour to have been elected World Rugby Chair by my Council colleagues today,” Robinson said in a World Rugby press release.
Brett Robinson in his playing days in 1997; he captained the inaugural Brumbies team.Credit: Andrew Meares
“During the course of the process, I have had many conversations with my colleagues around the world and am heartened by our shared ambition to continue to build on the strength of our game.
“Throughout this election process, I made it clear that my commitment, if elected, would be to work closely with member unions and the World Rugby executive team to deliver: Financial sustainability across all member unions amid a rising cost base and wage inflation, prudent execution of the next phase of World Rugby’s global growth agenda, competitions that drive audience engagement and commercial outcomes, fan and player growth through investment in player safety, law reform and innovation [and] a disciplined and fit for purpose governing body.
“Today, I reiterate my commitment as Chair to … to harness the abundant passion in our game and to lead for all, by creating the right culture to deliver commercial outcomes for a contemporary global sport, with the commitment to set a course and see it through.
Robinson, who has represented Australia at World Rugby since 2015, told the Herald in August he was well positioned to address rugby’s global problems after seeing them unfold in his own country.
“Australia is a bit like the canary in the coal mine for the game … and many of the challenges we’re facing are now right are also in front of many of the member unions, having spoken to them over recent months,” Robinson said.
More to come
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