The most powerful position in rugby will be filled in the election for the next chairman of the sport’s global governing body in Dublin on Thursday.

Australia's Brett Robinson became the first chairman of World Rugby from the southern hemisphere after edging French rival Abdelatif Benazzi in a vote on Thursday. Robinson obtained 27 votes with former French international Benazzi receiving 25 in the second round of World Rugby Council voting.

Former Wallabies forward Brett Robinson has been elected as the chairman of World Rugby, the first non-European to take the reins of the sport.

World Rugby Council members have rejected two proposed law trials at the latest council meeting in Dublin. Proposals for a global trial to call a mark inside the 22-metre line from kick-offs, and to make teams play the ball after a maul has been stopped once,

Four law trials aimed at speeding up the game, reducing time-wasting and "enhancing the fan experience" will be introduced on a global trial across all competitions from Jan. 1 2025, World Rugby said on Thursday after its Council approved the changes.

Four new laws - including conversion shot clocks and less penalising of crooked line-out throws - will be introduced into the game worldwide from January.