Brett Gosper to leave chief executive role at World Rugby

[ASFN Admin]

World Rugby has announced that long-serving chief executive Brett Gosper will leave his role in January to become the head of the NFL in Europe and the UK. Gosper came into the role in 2012 and World Rugby, in its announcement of his departure, hailed Gosper's impact on the sport, including "overseeing record participation and audience growth, ensuring rugby sevens’ heralded return to the Olympic stage and delivering game-changing men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups that yielded record fan-engagement, broadcast, sponsorship and financial outcomes". The chief executive has frequently responded to criticism towards World Rugby during his tenure, discussing the fairness of Rugby World Cup schedules for all teams, the sport's anti-doping measures and world rankings system. Gosper also notably deactivated his Twitter account during last year's Rugby World Cup in a period where there was plenty of criticism regarding the standard of officiating. Dan Leo, the head of Pacific Rugby Welfare, was also left frustrated after a recent interview with Gosper for the film 'Oceans Apart', in which Leo unsuccessfully pushed for Gosper and the governing body to help improve conditions for the Pacific Island national sides through better representation on the World Rugby Council and a cut of profits from away fixtures against 'Tier One' teams. In a statement confirming his departure, Gosper explained he felt the time was right for a new challenge. “It's been a fantastic nine years,” said Gosper. “It has been an absolute privilege to have worked with so many talented and dedicated rugby people around the world. I’ve been supported by two excellent chairmen in Sir Bill Beaumont and Bernard Lapasset along the way, excellent committees, and a brilliant team at World Rugby. “Rugby is a wonderful sport and World Rugby is a fantastic organisation, and therefore it was a very difficult decision to leave, but with a new ambitious strategic plan set to launch and the strong foundations in place to drive the sport forward beyond the pandemic, the time is right for me to begin a new challenge. I am proud of what we have achieved together as a rugby family. While I will miss working in the sport, my passion and enthusiasm for what rugby and its values mean to so many will never diminish." Sir Bill Beaumont added: “Brett leaves World Rugby with the organisation in a much stronger position then when he joined, and he should be very proud of what he has achieved working in partnership with our unions and regions, creating a more dynamic and efficient environment for the organisation to drive positive, impactful change in the sport. “Brett will be a very hard act to follow. But with a new strategic plan set to launch, strong staff and stakeholder relationships, transformed interim committees and a dynamic Executive Committee, Rugby World Cup Board and Council, we are perfectly positioned to continue to drive the sport forward on and off the field and ensure it is as attractive and engaging to players and audiences.”

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