FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 file photo, World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont speaks beside the Webb Ellis Cup during an interview before the match schedule announcement for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Tokyo. Bill Beaumont and Agustin Pichot are vying to become chairman of World Rugby amid trying times for the sport because of the coronavirus outbreak and the growing discussion about a global calendar to unify the international game. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File)

Former England captain Bill Beaumont will lead World Rugby for another four years after being re-elected on Saturday, beating Agustín Pichot with a first-round majority.

The sport’s governing body said the 68-year-old Beaumont won by 28 votes to 23 against Pichot, the former Argentina scrumhalf who served as Beaumont's vice chairman since 2016.

Canada was one of the nations that voted in support of Beaumont.

Beaumont says he plans a progressive reform of governance, with an integrated approach to the global calendar; the prioritization of player welfare; an accelerated promotion of the women’s game; and giving smaller nations more matches against big nations.

“I am honoured to accept the mandate of the World Rugby Council to serve as the international federation’s chairman once again," Beaumont said. "I would like to thank Gus for his friendship and support over the last four years. While we stood against each other in this campaign, we were aligned in many ways and I have the utmost respect for him.”

French rugby federation president Bernard Laporte — the former France coach — becomes Beaumont’s new vice chairman after running unopposed.

Beaumont begins his second term after a council meeting on May 12 and pledged to “serve for all” in the wider interests of rugby.

“We must be united in our drive to make this great sport even better, simpler, safer and more accessible," he said. “We must listen to players, fans, competitions, our unions and regions, and take decisions that are in the best interests of all with our strong values to the fore.”

Beaumont was a formidable lock as a player and captained England to the then-Five Nations Grand Slam title in 1980. He has proved a popular chairman with the game’s established powers.

The 45-year-old Pichot was looking to become the first chairman from outside the Six Nations unions or leading southern hemisphere nations. He wanted to give the less-established rugby nations a bigger say at boardroom level, take the game to a younger audience and revive the Nations League proposal abandoned less than a year ago.

He was favoured by the sport’s less wealthy nations, his appeal perhaps heightened by weighty financial concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. Beaumont's thoughts turned immediately to helping rugby through a huge financial crisis following the pandemic outbreak.

“(We) must implement an appropriate return-to-rugby strategy that prioritizes player welfare, while optimizing any opportunity to return to international rugby this year," Beaumont said. “I am determined to ensure that the spirit of unity and solidarity that has characterized our work so far in response to an unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic, is the cornerstone of a new approach.”

Laporte considers it important to unite the northern and southern hemispheres and all professional leagues “around a common objective to define a strong and lasting future.”

Beaumont had a solid first term as chairman, with last year’s World Cup in Japan a huge success financially and in terms of attracting new fans. Japan embraced the tournament fully, making it one of the most festive and popular rugby has enjoyed.

His nomination had been seconded by the Fiji Rugby Union, whose chairman Francis Kean was forced out of the World Rugby council following allegations of discriminatory conduct.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

News from © The Associated Press, 2020