Agustin Pichot resigns from World Rugby role after losing chairman election

Agustin Pichot has stood down from his role on the World Rugby Countil, as well as president of Americas Rugby, having failed to succeed Sir Bill Beaumont as World Rugby chairman.

Pichot, 45, was the outside contender for the role , having been vice-chariman to Beaumont for the past four years, and vowed to shake up World Rugby's established elite.

The Argentinian 71-Test veteran had the support of the SANZAAR nations, as well as Asia and the Americas, but was outvoted 28-23  to miss out on the role of World Rugby chairman.

As a result, Pichot has vacated his roles with World Rugby, and as the Americas Rugby president.

In a statement this evening, Pichot stated that he's choosing to fall on his sword rather than carry on in his current role.

"As of today, I have decided not to continue as a UAR representative on the World Rugby Council, nor as a member of the Rugby World Cup Board, nor as president of Americas Rugby," Pichot said.

"The only reason I have been a part of World Rugby to this day, and which in turn is the same one that has moved me to run for president, is the conviction that World Rugby needs change.

"But my proposal, which I fervently believe in, has not been chosen, and that is why I choose to step aside. I cannot conceive of occupying a place just for the sake of occupying it."

Pichot was a driving force behind the proposed "Nations League" , which would have seen the game's major nations compete in a single competition.

However, that proposal was shelved after the major European nations voted to keep current structures in place.