Bill Beaumont was unanimously elected on Wednesday to serve as World Rugby's new chairman for a four-year term, taking up his position on July 1.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at what subjects will feature in the former England captain's in-tray.
PLAYER WELFARE
Rugby union's burning issue of the moment. Increasing physical demands on players in a game where pace, power and collisions have never been greater, is taking a considerable toll. Concussion tops the player welfare list, and it is likely that Beaumont will source increased funding for research, all geared towards minimising risk.
GLOBAL SEASON
Debate about a global season in rugby union is nothing new, but Beaumont appears determined to make major strides in this complicated area. No agreement is currently in place for Test match scheduling beyond Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, with dates and revenues set to be on the agenda for lengthy discussion.
DISCIPLINARY PROCESS
Beaumont has vowed to strike "a sensible balance between consistency and commonsense" in an area where inconsistency in terms of sanctions has often attracted widespread criticism. This was highlighted by the recent case involving England prop Joe Marler and his "gypsy boy" jibe aimed at Wales prop Samson Lee during a Six Nations game. World Rugby ended up taking over that disciplinary process following poor work by the Six Nations.
DOPING
This is an area where transparency and accountability are vital components, while targeted education of players will also be high on Beaumont's to-do list. There simply cannot be room for complacency, and funding will be an important area in terms of testing, procedures and the latest detection methods.
Source: PA
