Bill Beaumont poised to be elected World Rugby chair

Former England international lock Bill Beaumont is set to become chair of World Rugby after being revealed as the only candidate in the running for the position.

Beaumont – who is currently chair of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) – has been nominated for the position to succeed the outgoing Bernard Lapasset, who is stepping down to concentrate on Paris’ 2024 Olympic Games bid.

He was put forward for the role by the RFU and proposed by Union Argentina Rugby’s Agustin Pichot. Pichot, in turn, was the only nomination to take over the vice-chair role which will be vacated by Oregan Hoskins.

The positions will be determined during an annual meeting for the World Rugby Council in Dublin on 11 May. The new chair and vice-chair will be elected for four-year periods commencing on 1 July 2016.

Earlier this month, Beaumont published a manifesto detailing his vision for the future of international rugby, with player welfare and freedom for unions high on his list of priorities.