Beaumont, 59, is one of England's best known ever players who has been vice-chairman of the IRB since being elected in 2007.

The former lock, who captained the team to the Grand Slam in 1980, was capped 34 times by England and seven times by the British Lions.

Beaumont's decision to stand against Lapasset, who is seen as a reformer within the sport and spearheaded rugby sevens' successful campaign to get on to the Olympic programme at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, at the IRB meeting in Auckland on October 19 is a surprise in the light of the current controversy surrounding the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

Beaumont is a member of the RFU Management Board but is trying to distance himself from the controversy surrounding John Steele's sacking as chief executive and the subsequent fall-out.

"I am putting myself forward as Bill Beaumont the individual," he said.

"I'm keeping out of all the RFU trouble.

"The people around the IRB table know who I am and what I stand for."

Beaumont, a member of the IRB Council since 1999, is not planning to lobby against 63-year-old Lapasset, who succeeded Ireland's Syd Millar as chairman at the election in Paris in 2007.

"What you see is what you get," said Beaumont, who now owns a textile company based in Chorley.

To be elected Beaumont needs the support of the majority of the IRB Council, which has 26 members, nine of whom are from the British Isles. 

If he does succeed, Beaumont will be only the second Briton to currently be head of an Olympic sport.  

The only other one at the one is Scotland's Kate Caithness, who last year was elected as the first-ever female President of the World Curling Federation.

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