Australian Brett Robinson, who was elected chairman of World Rugby on Thursday, stood on a platform of expansion and change for the game as it approaches the start of its fourth decade as a professional sport.

Brett Robinson, a former Australia back-row forward, has been elected as the first non-European chairman of World Rugby, the sport's global governing body. The 54-year-old Robinson beat Abdelatif Benazzi and Andrea Rinaldo in the voting for the most powerful position in rugby on Thursday and will succeed Bill Beaumont in the role.

Australian Brett Robinson was elected chairman of World Rugby on Thursday following two rounds of voting at the 2024 Interim meeting of Council in Dublin. Robinson, 54, is the first permanent chairman of the global governing body from the southern hemisphere,

Australian Brett Robinson was elected chairman of World Rugby in Dublin on Thursday. The 54-year-old is the fifth man to occupy the role since it became an elected post in 1996, previously the members supplied the chairman on a rotating annual basis.