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New Zealand Rugby President Brent Impey says there must be changes in the way the game is funded globally.
Rugby nations in the southern hemisphere could face bankruptcy unless re-elected World Rugby boss Bill Beaumont changes the way the global game is funded.
That’s the sentiment of New Zealand Rugby President Brent Impey, whose organization made it clear that his preference was for Vice President Agustin Pichot, who missed Beaumont by 28 votes to 23.
National rugby agencies in the southern hemisphere have been greatly affected by the sudden arrest of Super Rugby and serious doubts as to whether the Rugby Championship and other tests can be held in 2020, leaving them in a financial situation without precedents.
In an interview with Newstalk ZB, Impey said that issues related to revenue sharing, eligibility and rules of the game had not progressed in the past few years of Beaumont’s tenure, which was concerning.
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“Covid offers the possibility of a full restart. While Bill won and now we have to support the winner on the condition that there is a fundamental change,” Impey told Newstalk ZB.
“We cannot follow the path we are taking. Look at Rugby Australia’s finances, for example. It has to change.”
AP
Bill Beaumont was re-elected as President of World Rugby, delaying Agustin Pichot.
“If these guys don’t get along and make changes, if it’s four more years of the same thing, we’ll go.”
NZ Rugby is seriously considering the concept of privately funded test runs as a way to try to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, Impey said.
He confirmed that seeking a private investment to directly fund All Blacks tours in the future was a possible option.
“Yes, everything is on the table. The way I see it is that everything that happened before is open to doubt. Yes, with the way finances are destroyed, with Covid and without gambling, we are going to require money for the gambling, ” ZB told Newstalk.
“It would be very unwise to reject the possibility of private investment money coming into our sport; in fact, we are actively seeking the best way to do this for the benefit of all New Zealand rugby.”
Impey believed that Samoa and Fiji rejected the pleas of their southern neighbors and voted for Beaumont because they were promised political sweeteners, such as the eligibility changes, which was disappointing.
Beaumont met with members from Fiji and Samoa in Tokyo at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, but Impey did not know what had been offered to them.
“I know that from a personal relationship with Gus [Pichot] that he would not make deals. He left on a platform of need for change. There was nothing in his back room, so I can only admire the campaign he led …
“Gus made it very clear in his campaign that he was not making deals and would only campaign for change.”
