Wales could be the country to blow apart Bill Beaumont's hopes of winning the race to remain World Rugby chairman, according to reports.
Beaumont has widely been expected to receive the backing of all Six Nations countries in his battle with Agustin Pichot, but MailOnline report Wales and Ireland are both now considering ditching him at the last minute.
The vote is expected to be extremely close, with Pichot backed by the southern hemisphere giants, and a splinter among Europe's top nations could tip the balance.
The report claims Beaumont is now pulling out all the stops to convince the WRU to stay on board, even turning to former Lions team-mates for support.
It's suggested Wales have genuinely been impressed with Pichot's candidacy and believe he potentially has the best vision for rugby's future.
Wales were the only Six Nations country to reply to an email from Pichot outlining his manifesto, he revealed last week.
Ireland, meanwhile, are reportedly still upset at losing out on hosting the 2023 World Cup to France - an outcome largely put down to the dealings of Bernard Laporte, who will be Beaumont's vice chair if he wins.
All 51 votes (Wales have three) will be cast this week and the result will be officially announced on May 12.
