Sir Clive Woodward believes a massive opportunity to take the game forward has been wasted after Bill Beaumont beat Agustin Pichot to be re-elected as World Rugby chairman.
Despite winning 28-23, race came down to who Italy gave their three votes to the former England captain.
"Extraordinarily, under the perverse voting system, Italy have three votes while Fiji and Samoa have only one apiece and Tonga none whatsoever," wrote Woodward in his column for the Mail Online.
"I would simply ask you — who makes the greater contribution to world rugby?
"In fact, if only one of the Six Nations — with three votes apiece — had broken rank, Pichot would have won. It tells you everything about the current state of rugby governance that only one of those nations — Wales — will admit to have even engaged with Pichot and discussed his plans and proposals. That really is shameful.
"I am not going to let some of the smaller nations off the hook altogether, either. World Rugby have so far declined to give the voting breakdown but we hear that Fiji, Samoa and Canada voted for Bill Beaumont, as did Japan.
"If that is the case, our sympathy will be limited if those nations utter a word of complaint ever again at the lack of opportunity to play T1 nations or, in the case of the Pacific Island teams, about their best players being nicked by other countries.
"Or being left virtually penniless when they play the likes of England in front of 80,000 at Twickenham — matches that gross in excess of £14million for the RFU. Players in those countries should be outraged and asking why their unions did not vote for change."
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He added: "Finally, though, I would emphasise again the closeness of the vote. This was a massive wake-up call to the world governing body and if they’re wise they’ll take it on board.
"The gauntlet has been thrown down and well done to Pichot for showing the guts to try the impossible — even though he has been badly let down by so many countries playing politics.
"I wanted to wake up this morning with rugby energised about the future, a brave new world if you like, but instead it feels like same old, same old. We will have forgotten about the vote soon. "
Rugby Partners | Who are stars quarantining with?
The partners of rugby players in the UK are having to spend a lot more time with their other halfs due to the current lockdown.
Here we get to know the people behind the England, Scotland and Wales stars.
1. ANNABEL FIELD (HUW JONES)
Scotland centre Huw Jones is unafraid to show his love for girlfriend Annabel Field, describing the diminutive beauty as 'his everything' in an Instagram post. The couple are thought to have met in Glasgow but spend their time criss-crossing the globe - racking up visits to Monaco, Barcelona and the Bahamas in 2019 alone.
2. BECKY NORTH (GEORGE NORTH)
Former Olympic cyclist Becky is well and truly a match for her rugby player husband George in the sporting stakes, having won two silver medals in Rio in 2016. The pair are expecting their first child together in the next few weeks.
3. GILL HOGG (STUART HOGG)
The couple married in 2016 and welcomed son Archie, now four, later that year. They have since had daughter Olivia, two, and one-year-old George. Gill prefers to stay out of the spotlight but her proud husband can't help but gush over her on Instagram, calling her the 'best wife he could have asked for'. The family now live in Exeter, where Hogg plays for the Chiefs.
4. DR ANWEN JONES (ALUN WYN JONES)
Dr Anwen Jones, wife of Welsh captain Alun Wyn Jones, 34, is a Welsh medium physiology and health lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Like her husband she's incredibly sporty - she's a former 400m hurdler and was Welsh champion from 2000-2007. The couple have two daughters.
5. ELLIE GRAY (RICHIE GRAY)
Huge 28-year-old Richie Gray towers above all at 6ft 10in but he doesn't leave his wife Ellie n the shade. She is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty queen who represented Scotland in Miss World 2014.
6. GEORGIE LYON (OWEN FARRELL)
The England star, 27, wed Georgina 'Georgie' Lyon, also 27, in 2018 and their first son, a rugby player in the making, Tommy, arrived in March 2019. The couple also have a dog, Ron, but you're unlikely to find either baby or pet on social media, Georgie is happy to let her husband do the talking via his rugby.
7. BAZ JONES-DAVIES (NIGEL OWENS)
The popular Welsh referee began dating the Primary School Teacher. After attending the World Cup with Owens, they took their relationship to the next level, and now run a farm together.
8. ALYSE MILLER (ANTHONY WATSON)
Bath player Anthony Watson's American girlfriend Miller has a successful career as an events planner and regularly shows off snaps from her jet-setting life on her Instagram account.
9. SOPHIER HARRIES (LIAM WILLIAMS)
She's the model fiancee of Scarlets star Liam Williams and has just been signed up to London model agency Models 1. Harries describes herself as a small town Welsh girl living in London. We think we'll add totally gorgeous to the list.
10. SOPHIE MAY (JONNY MAY)
The Personal Trainer in Market Harborough married the England speedster two years ago.
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