BILL BEAUMONT "has been unanimously voted in as the new chairman of World Rugby following an election in Dublin on Wednesday." Beaumont, the Rugby Football Union and Six Nations chair, "was unopposed and will serve a four-year term starting in July." Former Argentine rugby player AGUSTÍN PICHOT "was elected as vice-chairman." The pair succeed BERNARD LAPASSET and OREGAN HOSKINS, respectively. Beaumont, the former England and Lions captain, pledged to deliver "healthy, sustainable growth for the game we all love." Beaumont "has been central to World Rugby's decision-making bodies for more than a decade, serving as vice-chairman from 2007 to 2012, and has been a key figure on the World Rugby Council, Executive Committee, Rugby World Cup Board and Rugby Committee bodies" (London TELEGRAPH, 5/11).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Former Ligue 1 side Lille Manager RENÉ GIRARD will be the new manager of Nantes starting next season. Girard won the French Championship with Montpellier in ’12 and brings experience from his playing career (’73-91) and a coaching career that started in ’91. He signed a two-season agreement with the club (FC Nantes). ... Former Bundesliga top scorer JØRN ANDERSEN is "set to take over as head coach of the North Korean national football team, his family confirmed to Norwegian media." Family members told Norway's state broadcaster NRK that the 53-year-old "had signed a one-year deal with the notoriously secretive state," whose team is already out of the running for the 2018 World Cup (REUTERS, 5/11). ... Premier League side Swansea City Manager FRANCESCO GUIDOLIN has "signed a new two-year contract." The Italian took over from GARRY MONK in January when the club was "flirting with relegation, but 21 points from his 13 games in charge has put the Welsh side 11th with one game left" (REUTERS, 5/11).
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