World Rugby confirmed they received eight nominations for the seven available spaces on the organisation's Executive Committee ©Getty Images

World Rugby have confirmed that eight nominations for the seven available spaces on the organisation's Executive Committee have been received, while confirming that Sir Bill Beaumont will be challenged for chairman by Agustín Pichot.

Among the eight nominees for the Executive Committee are five who already have seats.

This includes South African Mark Alexander, Gareth Davies of Wales, Scotland's John Jeffrey, Bob Latham of the United States and Brett Robinson of Australia. 

Vying to gain a place on the Executive Committee are Rugby Africa President Khaled Babbou, Bart Campbell of New Zealand and Fiji's Ratu Vilikesa Bulewa Francis Kean.

The Executive Committee election will take place alongside the vote for World Rugby chairman and vice-chairman. 

England's Sir Bill is standing for a second term but is being challenged by current vice-chairman and ex-Argentina international Pichot.

Should Pichot succeed with his attempt to oust Sir Bill from the top job, he will become the first World Rugby chairman from outside Europe's Six Nations.

As a player, Pichot earned 71 caps for Argentina, before joining the Argentine Rugby Union Council in 2009.

He said it was a "critical time and a critical election" for the worldwide governing body with his surprise decision to stand revealed on Sunday (April 12).

Argentina's Agustín Pichot and England's Sir Bill Beaumont are standing for World Rugby chairman ©World Rugby
Argentina's Agustín Pichot and England's Sir Bill Beaumont are standing for World Rugby chairman ©World Rugby

"The current crisis is an opportunity for the global realignment of our game," Pichot said in a statement.

"We cannot miss it.

"It is time to align our global calendar and our strategic intent to attract the sustainable investment we need, or risk falling back to individual handouts or grants in the absence of a long-term vision for a global game."  

Sir Bill said he wanted to have "a more representative and diverse International Federation that better serves the game, not one that is seen to only support the 'old guard.'"

He is running with Bernard Laporte, President of the French Rugby Federation, as vice-chairman.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic means the World Rugby Council meeting, during which the elections will take place, must be held remotely on May 12. 

International consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has been appointed as independent auditors for the election.

Once elected, the chairman, vice-chairman and Executive Committee will sit for a period of four years after the results are announced next month.  

Where contested, chairman and vice-chairman candidates must achieve a simple majority of the votes held by the members of Council present.

Executive Committee nominees need to be one of the seven candidates who win the highest number of votes.