On Thursday evening at the Interim Meeting of Council in Dublin, Ireland, World Rugby will elect its new chairperson and members of its Executive Board.
Rugby Africa has nominated their president Herbert Mensah to sit on the board as a Regional Association Member. Seconded by South Africa Rugby, Mensah is running against Asia Rugby’s Qais Al-Dhalai and Oceania Rugby’s Richard Sapias for the seat.
Herbert Mensah (in red) watching the 2024 women’s Rugby Africa 7s in Accra, Ghana. | Credit: John Philip Mugabi
Kawowo Sports, during the just-concluded 2024 women’s Rugby Africa 7s in his homeland Ghana, quizzed Mensah on his ambitions and Rugby Africa’s interests for the four-year term of office.
“I’m not sure whether just being African is the key here. I think that I represent Africa and the interests of Africa absolutely. But I also represent the interests of global rugby and I think global rugby is at a crossroads,” Mensah said.
“I think that the Executive Board needs a different perspective on how it looks at its business. It cannot be business as usual. I think that (outgoing World Rugby Chairperson) Sir Bill (Beaumont) has done an extraordinary job… but the world has now changed, and I think that you need people on it (the Executive Board) who bring a different perspective.”
Mensah is an accomplished businessman and sports administrator with over two decades of experience in media and telecommunications, Ghanaian football, and philanthropy. Before winning the Rugby Africa presidency by a landslide in March 2023, Mensah was Ghana Rugby’s president.
He is optimistic that change inspired at the top of the sport’s pyramid will trickle down to its lowest echelons.
“… Therefore you’re bringing an energy, expertise, and level of globalisation that says; combined with other like-minded people, we could bring about change and if you change it for World Rugby, then you change it for Rugby Africa as well at the same time.”
Candidates for World Rugby Chair:
Abdelatif Benazzi (France), nominated by France and seconded by South Africa
Andrea Rinaldo (Italy), nominated by Italy and seconded by Ireland
Brett Robinson (Australia), nominated by Australia and seconded by England
When asked who Africa’s choice for World Rugby will be come Thursday evening, Mensah did not lay his cards on the table but left enough hints to make an accurate guess.
“I’m not evading the question. I’m saying that as soon as I land (in Dublin), it’s critical that we understand how three or four groups are going to choose because democracy in World Rugby is one that suggests that eleven countries carry 33 out of 52 votes. Then if you take those from SANZAAR, that’s another twelve. Africa has two votes. You’ve got to be very careful as to how you position yourself.
“Rugby Africa has a close affiliation to Abdelatif Benazzi because of his African heritage. He’s Moroccan by birth and has played rugby at a very high level (for France) but so has Brett and Andrea.”
Benazzi was nominated by the French Rugby Federation and seconded by South Africa Rugby Union, which also seconded Mensah’s bid.
“I have to see what ultimately is in the interests of Rugby Africa, and that is the tricky thing. We know where we want to go, we know that we are looking for greater funding. But I am not one of those who believe that World Rugby owes us. I believe that we need to develop the pie together which means the Executive Board needs to be stronger. It needs to be an Executive Board whose values are based upon the fundamental values both of rugby, but also understanding that the corporate world rugby that it is, is now looked at, managed, developed in a completely different way from what it was before.”
Benazzi has emerged as the leading candidate for Chair with a bold promise to revolutionize rugby from its conservative nature to a more truly global sport.
The outcome of the election and the new World Rugby Executive Board will be announced to the media and general public after the Interim Meeting on Thursday night.
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