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World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont backs ARU to recover from horror year

Tom Decent
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World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont has backed Australian rugby to recover from a tumultuous year and has thrown his support behind the idea of a Pacific Island Super Rugby team. 

Beaumont visited ARU headquarters on Thursday before his return to New Zealand ahead of the second British and Irish Lions Test in Wellington. 

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His aerial ability is renowned and Israel Folau has again shown how much an asset it is for the Wallabies.

There was no specific business on the agenda, with Beaumont saying he likes to touch base with all unions whenever possible on his travels around the globe. 

Australian rugby has had its fair of troubles this year following the ARU's announcement it would cut a Super Rugby team next season – either the Western Force or Melbourne Rebels. 

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Nearly three months on, rugby fans and players are becoming increasingly disgruntled at the game's governing body for a perceived lack of action and leadership. 

Beaumont said he was not concerned by the state of Australian rugby but is surprised at the decline of the national team since the last World Cup.

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"All countries go through difficult times and obviously it's a challenging time for the union and it's hard to imagine that two years ago you were in the final of a Rugby World Cup," Beaumont said. "They've got challenges and World Rugby acknowledge the challenges that Australia face but have got every confidence in the union that they will ride the storm and come out strong. 

"It's up to each individual country to determine what the format of their game is within that country." 

World Rugby lobbied hard for SANZAAR to bring in the Jaguares from Argentina and Sunwolves from Japan to Super Rugby from 2016 onwards. 

While both teams have hardly set the world on fire, Beaumont believes their presence has been beneficial overall. 

Meanwhile, Pacific Island nations including Fiji, Tonga and Samoa have produced a plethora of excellent footballers who have either joined Super Rugby clubs or taken their talents to the northern hemisphere. 

Earlier this year, former Fiji sevens coach Ben Ryan voiced his desire for Fiji to have a Super Rugby team; a conversation SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos said he was open to having. 

Beaumont has lauded the Pacific Islands for producing so many quality rugby players and said World Rugby was committed to maintaining investment in that region. 

"Put it this way, it could well be a Pacific Island team playing in Super Rugby that might be a solution," Beaumont said. "If you look at the contribution in rugby terms that those islands have made, it's absolutely enormous isn't it. 

"Certainly if there is any way they can play on the island and still play top club rugby then I suppose it's a win-win for everybody. We will work with the individual unions and the shareholders on Super Rugby to find solutions." 

Now the Wallabies have wrapped up their three June Tests, Super Rugby kicks back into gear next weekend for Australian teams, but there will be little interest across the nation. 

The Brumbies are the only Australian team guaranteed to play in the quarter-finals, meaning the Waratahs will find it difficult to attract a crowd for their final home match against the Jaguares in Sydney next Saturday. 

From 2020, a June break in Super Rugby will be a thing of the past following World Rugby's confirmation of a global calendar that will see the game's southern hemisphere tournament run uninterrupted. 

Furthermore, Tests will begin a month later in July and continue through until November. Beaumont says the changes will "enhance the competition here".  

Beaumont also spoke about the new eligibility laws announced in May that will see the residency requirement increased from 36 months to 60 months in order to "protect the integrity of the game". 

"It was unanimous … we felt three years wasn't really long enough whereby five years is a commitment," Beaumont said. "It has been very well-received." 

A former British and Irish Lions captain, Beaumont sat on the fence when asked for a tip for Saturday's second Test in Wellington. 

"It's going to be pretty close," he said. "You witnessed one of the great games of rugby last week. Certainly the Lions will have to improve. I certainly think they can win but it will be very, very close indeed. I'll just remain neutral." 

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