Some talking points in the piece:
'Twiggy' recruits World Rugby deputy to head mining push in Argentina
By Georgina Robinson
Updated 17 August 2018
Political intrigue has hit international rugby with Australian officials fuming over Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest's recruitment of a high-ranking World Rugby official to head up his Latin American mining interests.
As Rugby Australia (RA) and the billionaire iron ore magnate are locked in an increasingly adversarial arm-wrestle over the fate of Forrest's rebel World Series Rugby competition, it emerged that Forrest had appointed World Rugby vice-chairman Agustin Pichot as president and director of Argentina Fortescue South America.
The appointment, which was announced in June, has enraged RA officials, who see it as a conflict of interest and potential breach of trust as Pichot has long been a southern hemisphere ally and was one of the driving forces behind Argentina's inclusion in the Rugby Championship and Super Rugby.
The tension came to a head at a World Rugby executive committee meeting in Dublin in March, when RA board powerbroker Brett Robinson was understood to have confronted Pichot about his relationship with Forrest and asked him to declare a conflict of interest to the committee, which is World Rugby's top decision-making body.
Fairfax Media understands Pichot did so in front of the 11-person committee, but the announcement in June of the 71-Test former Argentina international's role as chief executive of FMG in Argentina has raised eyebrows again.
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... with talks stalled for some time over Wallabies eligibility of overseas-based players and player welfare concerns, there are fears Forrest could take the concept to either the Argentine Rugby Union or the newly formed Rugby Americas, of which Pichot is president.
Forrest shut down that suggestion when contacted by Fairfax Media.
"We do not plan to take WSR to Latin America. It is an Asia-Pacific competition designed to expand rugby’s reach and relevance in our region, and we are excited by and focused on this mission," he said. "We consider Asia a very important growth area for the game, with about 60 per cent of the world’s population and 80 per cent of the world’s youth living in largely the same time zone."
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A World Rugby spokesman said Pichot was not involved in any discussions about WSR.
"Agustin Pichot declared his business interests in line with World Rugby’s code of conduct and conflict of interest register for elected officials and, as per the criteria, he is not involved in any discussion, meeting or processes relating to Andrew Forrest’s rugby competition," the spokesman said.
"As previously stated via media release in 2017, any proposed competition and expansion must be approved by Rugby Australia in the first instance and also the union of any participating team, while reassuring the World Rugby EXCO that the concept is in the best interests of the development of the game. This includes key player welfare, discipline, match officiating and anti-doping provisions."
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In its latest iteration, which was sent to RA this week, WSR pitches a seven-team competition spanning Japan, China (Hong Kong), Singapore, New Zealand, a Pacific Islands nation and Australia.
Fairfax Media understands Forrest or his WSR representatives have been making approaches to Tonga, Fiji and Samoa about the possibility of basing a Pacific Islands team in western Sydney, a move that would be seen as a serious incursion into RA's backyard. Western Sydney is also a vulnerable spot for NSW and RA administrators given this year's axing of the Penrith Emus from the Shute Shield.
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Deans, who has been coaching Japanese Top League club Panasonic Wild Knights, talked up the concept in Perth this week, where he is preparing for Friday's match between the Force and the Wild Knights.
"His timing is impeccable," Deans said. "Asia's the future, whether we like it or not. Economically, population wise - the interest is already there from a market perspective. They'll tell you there's a greater support base in places like China than there is domestically in Australia and NZ. So the scope for growth there is significant."
Deans said Super Rugby was on the wane.
"The horse has bolted to some extent, which they probably rue, because once people turn off, they find other things to do," he said. "Some would suggest the product's been compromised. Personally I thought the product was better this year - more competitive across the board. But people have stopped watching - that's their biggest issue.
"Change is inevitable. There's no doubt it won't be the same going forward. They really have to capture the imagination of the public again."
One of the provinces understood to be the target of Forrest's mining exploration is San Juan, a province in western Argentina where the Pumas hosted Tests against Wales this year and England in 2017.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...16-p4zxwd.html