Former Argentina captain Pichot has tabled a surprise late bid to unseat Sir Bill Beaumont as chairman of World Rugby.

The 45-year-old launched his chairmanship bid hours before the deadline for candidates to declare their intention to stand in the election.

Sir Clive has since tweeted his support for Pichot against Sir Bill, his fellow Englishman.

"Good luck Gus, I absolutely think the world of rugby has also to use this extraordinary moment in time, to fundamentally change and become economically viable and truly a world game," he said.

The 64-year-old Sir Clive played for England between 1980 and 1984, going on to coach his country from 1997 to 2004. 

His time as England coach included victory at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. 

Sir Bill, who declared his intention to run for a second term as chairman in January, had been widely expected to be re-elected unopposed at the May 12 World Rugby Council meeting, which could be held remotely owing to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Should Pichot succeed with his attempt to oust Sir Bill from the top job, he will become the first World Rugby chairman from outside Europe's Six Nations.

As a player, Pichot earned 71 caps for Argentina, before joining the Argentine Rugby Union Council in 2009. 

He served as a World Rugby vice-president during Sir Bill's first four-year tenure and said it was a "critical time and a critical election" for the worldwide governing body.

"The current crisis is an opportunity for the global realignment of our game," Pichot said in a statement.

"We cannot miss it.

"It is time to align our global calendar and our strategic intent to attract the sustainable investment we need, or risk falling back to individual handouts or grants in the absence of a long-term vision for a global game."  

Pichot has been the driving force behind the World League, an annual tournament which would have pitted six countries from the Northern Hemisphere against six from the South, with an in-built promotion and relegation system.

But the proposal was unanimously rejected by the Six Nations last June after the organisation raised concerns over the prospect of a relegation and promotion scenario.

"It is time to think of a sport where professional and commercial income is becoming a true benefit for all by empowering rugby's growth around the world and by moving on from the time where those benefits were just for a few," Pichot added.

"It is time to redefine the future of rugby, our game. 

"It is time to align rugby globally, moving forward as one, truly global game not falling back as lone unions or federations."