International Rugby Board Postpone Chairman Election Until December

The International Rugby Board Council (IRB) has confirmed it has postponed the election of its chairman until December, after the council explained that the election should not take place during the Rugby World Cup competition.

An election must be held before 1st January, 2012, when the current mandate of current chairman Lapasset and vice-chairman Beaumont expires. 

IRB said in a statement: “This decision was taken after a resolution was passed to defer the vote until after the completion of Rugby World Cup 2011. Both candidates [Lapasset and Beaumont] and Council were in agreement that in future the election of chairman should not take place during Rugby World Cup but should take place at the IRB Annual Meeting of Council in the year following rugby’s showcase tournament.”

The election had been due to be held in Auckland today, Wednesday 19th October.

The outcome of the election is thought to be too close to call, with New Zealand and Australian understood to be backing the former England captain Beaumont on the basis of his promises to reform the IRB’s commercial model, including World Cups.

Meanwhile, Lapasset has based his manifesto around the growth of the global game over the last four years, specifically having driven