History and Structure of the International Rugby Board (IRB)

          The International Rugby Board (IRB) is the governing body for rugby and was established in 1886. The headquarters are situated in Dublin, Ireland. The IRB states on its website that their duties consist of:

• "Governance of the Laws and Regulations and their enforcement
• Tournament owners and managers
• Global game development through Member Unions funding via grants and Strategic Investment programmes, and delivery of Education & Development programmes
• Game promotion" 

International Rugby Board. "IRB Organisation." International Rugby Board. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2014. <http://www.irb.com/aboutirb/organisation/index.html>.

The IRB consists of the Council, Executive Committee, Council Committees, and IRB Staff. 

• Council-- The supreme legislative authority in the IRB. They have the power to make decisions on matters such as the mission, consider alterations to bye-laws and approve international matches. 

• Executive Committee-- Role consists of approval of the annual business plan and budget, evaluate performance of the CEO, approve audited financial statements. 

• Council Committees-- Consists of committees such as the Anti-Doping Committee, Audit and Risk Committee and the Referee Selection Committee. 

• IRB Staff--  Consists of departments such as Legal, Finance, Communications and Rugby World Cup. 

What do you think of this structure? Do you think it is sustainable? How do you think American sports organizations could benefit from a model like this? 

International Rugby Board. "Bye-Laws." INTERNATIONAL RUGBY BOARD-Bye-Laws (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 12 Oct. 2014. <http://www.irb.com/mm/Document/AboutIRB/IRBConstitution/02/03/02/20/2030220_PDF.pdf>.