Agustín Pichot (born 22 August 1974) is an Argentine retired rugby union player, formerly captain of the Argentine team and the English club Bristol. In addition to Bristol, he played for French sides Stade Français and Racing Métro after leaving Argentine team CASI from San Isidro in 1997. In 2011, he was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame. He was Vice-Chairman of World Rugby between 2016 and 2020. However, an injury suffered in April 2009 that ended his 2008–09 season led Pichot to call time on his playing career.

Pichot returned to Argentina for one final match on 27 June at CASI, an informal exhibition divided into three periods that saw nearly 60 players take the pitch, including many of his former CASI teammates and past and present Pumas. He was the only player to remain on the field through the match. Also present were Alex Wyllie, who coached the Pumas to their first World Cup quarterfinal in 1999; Marcelo Loffreda, the Pumas' coach for their 2007 World Cup run; and Pichot's successor as Pumas captain, Felipe Contepomi, who was unable to play as he was recovering from a torn ACL. Every player on the pitch wore #9, the standard number for starting scrum-halves.

In 2016, less than a year after being elected Vice Chairman of World Rugby, Pichot was making waves, calling for the three-year residency rule for eligibility to play for a country to be extended to five years, in the face of the view of other senior members of the WR Executive Committee. A few months later, he was voted most influential figure in world rugby, ahead of England head coach Eddie Jones, in a ranking by Rugby World magazine.

Pichot stood for election as World Rugby chairman in 2020 but, following his loss to incumbent Bill Beaumont by 28 votes to 23, he vacated his seat on the World Rugby council.

Honours

  • In 1995 he received the Olimpia Award for rugby
  • In 1998 he received Best Rugby Player
  • In 1999 he received Sportsman Clarín Award of the year
  • In 2000 he received the Platinum Konex Award for Rugby
  • In 2000 he again received the Olimpia Award
  • In 2001 he received Best Rugby player
  • In 2000/01 and 2002/03 he was voted Supporter's Player of the Season at Bristol Shoguns
  • In 2010, once again he received the Platinum Konex Award for rugby
  • IRB Hall of Fame Class of 2011

Achievements

  • 75 tests with the Pumas
  • Finals of the European Cup 2004/05
  • Finals of the French Championship 2005 (Championnat de France de rugby)
  • Finals of the English Cup 2001
  • Champion of France 2004 and 2007 (captain)
  • 5th position in 1999 Rugby World Cup
  • 3rd position in 2007 Rugby World Cup
  • Captain and 3 position in 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens
  • Argentine Provincial Champion with Buenos Aires 1996
  • Argentine National Club Champion with CASI
  • Sevens National Champion with Buenos Aires 1994/1995
  • Most selected Argentine player for the Barbarians

Trivia

  • Pichòt means "little" in Occitan.

References

  • Stade Français profile
  • Player profile and stat
  • Player profile and stat
  • BBC short article
  • Konex Foundation