Agustin Pichot blasts World Rugby and Bill Beaumont in scathing interview

Former World Rugby vice chairman Agustin Pichot has unleashed a withering attack on the governing body and its current boss Sir Bill Beaumont.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, the Argentina legend slammed World Rugby and threatened that they could kill off rugby union if changes aren’t made.

Pichot described the sport at the top level as being an ‘old boys club’, which is resistant to expanding the game and helping the emerging nations develop.

The 49-year-old also claimed that he is being ostracised by the hierarchy, despite being a key part of the organisation for four years.

“Nothing has changed”

“It’s not a global game,” he told the Mail. “We can say, ‘Oh, Portugal beat Fiji’ but I strongly believe rugby is at a critical point. A lot of unions are trying to keep the old boys’ club.

“I tried to come and help but the Six Nations blocked me — calling every union, especially Alan Gilpin (World Rugby CEO) and JJ (John Jeffrey) because they are threatened. Come on guys, it’s not frightening. I love the game.

“Bill came to Argentina last year and I said, ‘Bill, I ran against you because you wanted to go down one path that won’t expand and be global.’ You can see it now. Nothing has changed.’

Pichot became World Rugby’s vice chairman in 2016 and ran against Beaumont for the role of chairman in 2020, but lost out by 28 votes to 23.

Following that result, he vacated his seat on the World Rugby council and since then has regularly criticised the current regime.

“Call me in June 2026 and ask me about Portugal. It will be a déjà vu story. You have the Six Nations in one corner and the Rugby Championship in another,” he said.

“It’s self-preservation, survival. The system is done to protect the core. They have to see that bigger is better but they won’t take that risk. But they are already at risk. They are in the red. It has to be a discussion of taking risks for a bigger vision.”

The former scrum-half was a key player behind Argentina’s inclusion in the Rugby Championship, and joined World Rugby in the hope of developing other emerging nations.

That has not transpired, according to Pichot, and he has slammed some of the Six Nations countries for failing to help the sport grow.

“Bernard Lapasset, when he was World Rugby chairman, had this vision and that’s why I joined. He asked me to join to counteract the home unions,” he said.

“I told Bill Beaumont, ‘I won’t bother you, I want to grow this game and you are a rugby guy so we will do it.’ Then he wasn’t allowed, because of the (RFU chief executive) Bill Sweeneys of this world and we went separate ways.

“Bernard had a vision. He asked me to join him to get rugby into the Olympics and I was with him all the way.

“What relevant thing has happened since 2015? What have we changed since, like Bernard did with the Olympics and with Argentina joining the Rugby Championship?”

World League concept

World Rugby will claim that they are innovating by introducing the ‘World League’, an idea that was initially devised by Pichot, but the Argentinian vehemently rejects that this was his exact proposal.

Under the current concept, which is set to be introduced in 2026, it could potentially harm the tier two sides due to it being ring-fenced until 2030.

“Let’s be clear: this spin-off of my idea is not a global game. It is just a closed shop for six years. We will vote against it,” he said.

“But this is the mad thing, even the Georgia guys will vote for it. Rugby Europe will vote for it. But they get nothing! I don’t know why they would vote for it.”

Sebastian Pineyrua, president of South American rugby, also criticised the idea and warned that it may have disastrous consequences for the game.

“It’s the death of rugby,” Pineyrua said. “It will kill rugby. It will be impossible to compete with those teams in four or five years. They’re going to go up and the others will go down.”

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