Luck of the Irish paying off for Whelan

The newly appointed chairman takes over from Bill Beaumont who had been chairman since 2012 and who was recently elected as chairman of World Rugby.

Whelan is the first Irish chairman since Tom Kiernan in the early 1990s.

The Irishman who hails from Limerick, earned a total of 19 caps during his Irish international career between 1975 and 1981. A very proud Garryowen club member, he also represented Munster and was part of the side which famously beat New Zealand in Thomond Park in 1978.

Whelan has gone on to play a number of key roles in the administrative side of Irish rugby. This included being selector and manager to the Ireland team.

He was also instrumental in the development of the professional game in Ireland and sat on the national team management review group and the national player contracts group.

He was recently elected to the executive committee of World Rugby.

Whelan has been chairman of Thomond Park Stadium since its inception in 2008, having overseen the Euro 40 million re-development programme.

The new chairman said: "It is an honour to be elected as chairman of the Six Nations Council and a privilege to be involved in the running of Rugby's Greatest Championship.

"I am looking forward to continue working on the development the Six Nations Championship with my colleagues on the council. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bill Beaumont for his work and dedication during his years as council member and chairman.

"My colleagues and I would like to wish him all the best for his term as chairman of World Rugby.

John Jeffrey was elected vice chairman. Hailing from the Scottish Boarders, John Jeffrey won 40 caps for Scotland. He became Scotland's representative on the Six Nations Council in 2010 and is Chairman of World Rugby's Rugby Committee.