The convicted killer standing for World Rugby office

Australia’s Brett Robinson will query what character checks World Rugby conducts before allowing individuals to stand for office

Bill Beaumont, right, and Agustin Pichot, his rival for World Rugby’s top job

Australia’s highest-ranking international rugby official Brett Robinson will query what character checks World Rugby conducts before allowing individuals to stand for office after a convicted killer became the central figure in the upcoming World Rugby elections.

Fiji Rugby chairman Francis Kean not only seconded Bill Beaumont’s bid for a second term as World Rugby chairman, but is also standing himself as one of eight candidates for the powerful seven-person World Rugby executive committee, the body that actually runs the game on a day-to-day basis.

Kean, who was convicted of manslaughter in 2007 after initially being charged with murder — he beat a fellow guest at a wedding to death — would be the first Pacific islander ever on the ExCo board if elected. But not only is his candidacy likely to be doomed by an expose in The Sunday Times, but he could also drag down the chances of Beaumont, who is fighting a tight race for the top job, opposed by his former deputy, Gus Pichot of Argentina.

Robinson, who is standing for re-election on the ExCo board, admitted he had been stunned by the revelations about Kean, especially as the allegations were amplified by a long and detailed letter written by former Queensland Reds second-rower Daniel Leo, the director of the Pacific Rugby Players Welfare group. The letter was released on the internet yesterday.

“I make no comment about why the Federation Francaise de Rugby would support Kean’s nomination to Exco,” Leo wrote. “Or why the current chairman would allow his nomination to be seconded by the Fiji Rugby Union, which the man known in his own country as “Killer Kean” runs in the manner of an executive chairman.

“So I find myself asking this obvious question: why does World Rugby have some of the most elaborate and exhaustive eligibility checks for those who play the game but apparently no checks for someone wanting to run the game. Even when that person couldn’t get a visa to watch Fiji in the opening match of the 2015 RWC or the 2018 RWC 7s because of his criminal record for violent killing.”

Robinson, who until last month served as deputy-chairman of Rugby Australia, wants answers to those very questions.

“I’ve only just caught up on the history there as well, so I’m not too sure what it means, to be honest,” Robinson said.

“In the Australian context, you would have character checks you’d have to go through as part of the vetting process. I’m not too sure about what the due diligence processes have to be around ExCo, but I would have thought they would be the same for any board.

“We have an executive committee call on Friday morning and I will take the opportunity to understand more about it, just ask the question. But we (Rugby Australia) certainly haven’t followed up on it and don’t see it as our role directly to be involved as a union. I, as an ExCo member, will be asking the question to understand what our internal processes are around this.”

The election will take place by electronic ballot on Sunday.