Speaking to French newspaper L’Equipe, the 49-year-old former World Rugby vice-president warned that the International Federation’s leaders, including the Englishman who defeated him in the 2020 election, Sir Bill Beaumont, are operating in "survival mode,"

Pichot, who played 71 times for the Pumas, accused World Rugby's leadership of lacking long-term vision.

"The leaders of World Rugby talk a lot about the new world calendar which is in the making, promising to give more resources and more matches to the small nations which stood out during the group stage," he told L'Equipe.

"They are talking about all these words, globalising rugby, supporting small nations, they are ecstatic about Portugal or Uruguay but it is wind.

"The system is bad but rather than sitting down to fundamentally rethink it, they are operating in survival mode.

"More money goes out than comes in, clubs disappear in England [a reference to clubs such as London Irish and Worcester Warriors that have gone into administration] but they retreat into their own little world and want closed circuits to protect themselves.

"What will the world league change?"

Pichot claimed that the financial system adopted by World Rugby meant that it would always be difficult for emerging nations to upset the established order.

"At the moment, big nations like England receive £200 million ($245million/€230million) a year from World Rugby and Argentina, for example, get £14 million ($17million/ €16million)," he said.

"Is that fair?

"I'll let you imagine what's left in Fiji or Uruguay!

"With their closed league project of 12 teams, they anticipate revenues of £220 million ($267,000/€252million) for the major Federations.

"Basically, they will cover their current losses and we will be in the same situation in five years."

Now working on the development of rugby in South America, Pichot insisted: "I love my sport and I would like to help develop it sustainably so that more teams are competitive…

"How can Portugal become competitive with one or two big matches per year?

"It's impossible.

"Everyone is talking about them but see you in a year.

"They will have played zero big matches."

Pichot is not overly impressed with what he has seen at the Rugby World Cup, which is due to reach its conclusion with the final in Paris on October 28.

"We need a long-term vision," he said.

"Unfortunately, no one carries this vision at World Rugby.

"I'm disturbing because I question them all the time and they don't want to hear this questioning of their system…

"Everything I see, everything I hear, gives me a feeling of déjà vu.

"This World Cup in France is basically the same as in 2007 with a little more entertainment before the matches, but I saw France-South Africa in the stands and I said to myself: 'Where are children? Have we attracted a new audience?'"

"Little has changed in the sport since Sir Bill since he succeeded Frenchman Bernard Lapasset in 2016, earning a second term four-years later when he beat Pichot.

"Has rugby evolved since I lost?" asked Pichot.

"No.

"We are even in an even worse position: many big Federations are ruined, England and France have a deficit of £20 million ($24million/€23million).

"Wales, New Zealand, Australia are in crisis.

"Clubs are going out of business."

World Rugby has claimed it is trying to help grow the sport by awarding the men's Rugby World Cup to the United States in 2031, followed by the women's tournament two-years later.

Pichot, though, insisted that more radical ideas are required.

"The United States, we don't know where they are going but we continue to inject money because they are going to organise the 2031 World Cup...," he told L'Equipe.

"The system is bad but rather than sitting down to fundamentally rethink it, they are operating in survival mode…

"In 2018 my idea was to make 24 teams competitive for the World Cup.

"Bill Beaumont and the other leaders had encouraged me, and when I presented it, there was no one left.

"The Six Nations Committee was against it.

"This is where I saw the true face of some people.

“In 2015, when I asked Bernard Lapasset, who had a real vision, and Pierre Camou [President of the French Rugby Union] if they thought I should engage with Bill Beaumont they warned me: 'Be careful, they will never change.'

"But I tried anyway, I thought it was the only way to get things done. 

"They were right."