John Jeffrey Withdraws From World Rugby Chairman Race

Scottish Rugby Legend's Campaign Derailed by Home Union Snub

Jeffrey is quitting all rugby union administration to go and tend his farm in Kelso /

By Priscilla Jepchumba

John Jeffrey has surprisingly decided to withdraw from the running for the World Rugby chairman position in place of Sir Bill Beaumont after failing to gain support from his union, the SRU.

December 2020 saw Jeffrey assume the Scottish Rugby Board Chairman position. Further, in December 2022, Scottish Rugby publicized that Jeffrey would be retiring from the position of Chairman in May 2023 in order to focus on the duties of the Vice Chairman of World Rugby.

Nicknamed “The Great White Shark” and “JJ,” he is believed to be nicknamed so because of his blonde hair; however, Tom English’s 1990 book The Grudge says that the reason for this nickname was Charlie’s very white skin.

As much as he expected his home union to support him in the bid to replace Beaumont, tension, animosity, and interpersonal conflict within the SRU have hindered them from doing so. Jeffrey's fans have not been well received by this, mainly because they interpret it as an act of revenge.

This is with the understanding that an anger-maddened Jeffrey was comprehension with the fact that the SRU rejection was a big upset that had brought an end to his campaign.

He could perhaps still have remained in the race for the succession seat without them, but their non-support was, to him, this unedifying, and he had no other option but to relinquish from the race to succeed Beaumont. He also resigned from the post of SRU representative to sit on the Six Nations committee.

In the past, it is understood that he clashed with specific stakeholders in the SRU with regard to running the governing body, this-quarrel was never reconciled. A few thought that he was friendly with former SRU chief executive Mark Dodson the highest paid chief executive in the history of SRU.

The SRU committee members rejected Jeffery's proposal with 4-2 votes only. Now out of the race, the new favorite to take over from Beaumont is Australian Brett Robinson, with Italy’s Andrea Rinaldo likely to contest the position.

In the wake of Scottish Rugby’s action, Jeffrey quit the Six Nations presidency and will also vacate positions on the organization’s executive board and council and as the vice chairman of World Rugby. He is quitting all rugby union administration to go and tend his farm in Kelso.