World Rugby’s three year residency rule ‘is wrong’ says Agustín Pichot

“Somebody will kill me but we need to change it,” said Agustín Pichot of World Rugby’s three year residency rule that allows foreigners like CJ Stander and Jared Payne play for Ireland.

The 41-year-old former Pumas scrumhalf is working from inside the governing body’s tent nowadays, having been elected vice-chairman, but that revolutionary Argentine streak saw him at odds with a recent decision by tier one unions not to alter this controversial law.

“I think it is wrong,” Pichot said at a press conference in Dublin to confirm English man Bill Beaumont’s ascent to chairman of World Rugby.

“It should be for life, like in football. I would understand a five year [qualification period] and I think that will be on the agenda in the next six months.”

Moments earlier World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper had adopted a contradictory stance when confirming to The Irish Times that this issue was pushed down the agenda at last October's biannual council meeting.

“There didn’t seem to be any appetite to change it,” Gosper explained. “There was a consultation with the unions, it was discussed and it was decided it would remain as is.”

Pichot firmly disagreed, even highlighting the pillaging of Pacific Island players by tier one nations: “I think it is very important to keep the identity of our national teams. As a cultural thing, as an inspiration to new kids, I think having on your team players who have not lived [for long] in the country they are [representing] I think it’s not right.

“There are special cases where players moved when they were ten or twelve years old but just moving to a country, being taken from an Academy, like they are doing in Tonga, and put into play, say, in an Ireland shirt, I’m against it. I think it is not right.

National anthem

“I would love him to play in Tonga and make money playing for Tonga and live well.

“When I see the national anthem and people not singing it, it confuses me a little bit. I don’t see in the near future Argentina having players from other countries.”

Gosper was asked for the World Rugby view.

“The World Rugby view is the view of all the unions,” the Australian replied. “That is the current view of the members of the unions to keep it at three years. We are not going to stop looking at that but right now in the current climate we believe it is the right level.”

Pichot disagreed, fuelling the perception that countries on the executive council are making decisions that suit their short-term needs to the long-term detriment of rugby becoming a truly global sport.

Does public opinion not matter? “It’s not just always the voting of the great masses,” said Gosper. “If there is a will to do something the leadership has to drive that. We will look at this as we move forward. We have a new executive committee in place now. Their priorities may be different . . .”

What was the reasoning behind leaving it as is? “The [unions] didn’t have to give reasoning. They came back and said it is operating in the right way currently at that level of residency.

“I think the day that people don’t believe they are watching bona fide international matches then you got problems. We have no sign of that. There is no research or evidence that would back that up. That could change over time. The integrity of the image of the sport, as an international sport, with bona fide players and countries playing against each other is definitely intact.”

Ireland, since Joe Schmidt became head coach in 2013, have capped six players from the southern hemisphere – Stander, Payne, Richardt Strauss, Nathan White, Rodney Ah You and Robbie Diack – after they qualified via residency.

Integrity

It was put to Gosper that World Rugby’s belief that the integrity of the game is not under threat could lead to a situation where the numbers of players qualifying through residency will increase.

“Again, if we see elements of an image erosion around the integrity of the game it’s something that will have to be addressed but right now it is what it is and there is no immediate plan to review that, but let’s see what the new group feels.”

Can you not see the erosion of the game’s integrity already with the multiple example of a players, like the path Ben Te’o is currently on, coming from the southern hemisphere, playing club then international rugby, even touring with the Lions, before returning to their own country when they retire?

“No, the erosion we would judge by what the fans feel and you’ve just seen a World Cup that the fans are not thinking ‘this is a hoax’, [They’re thinking] these are bona fide international games with international players.

“Again, it may be reviewed in the future, but right now it’s staying where it is.”

This despite the newly elected vice-chairman of World Rugby stating: “I think it is wrong.”