"And more, much more than this, I did it my way" - IRB chief exec Mike Millar steps up to the mic at the Rugby Expo © Getty Images

The latest Rugby Expo - a meeting of rugby business minds - was staged in London earlier this week with some of the sport's leading players - largely off-the-field - dropping in to share their wisdom with each other.

As part of the proceedings, visitors were asked to name who they thought were the most influential people in rugby (I guess both Union and League going by the results) with the result being their Top 20 Most Influential People in Rugby. An interesting list that is sure to spark some kind of reaction and debate.

Here's their top three:
1) Bernard Lapasset (IRB)
2) Sir Ian McGeechan (Bath and former Scotland and Lions Coach)
3) Jonny Wilkinson (Player - Toulon and England)

The rest were listed alphabetically:
Adam Crozier, ITV
Barney Francis, Sky Sports
David Gallop, National Rugby League, Australia
Francois Pienaar
Gareth Thomas, Crusaders RL
Graham Henry, New Zealand Coach
Greg Peters, SANZAR
John Steele, RFU
Martin Johnson, England
Martin Snedden, RNZ 2011
Max Guazzini, Owner Stade Francais
Mick Cleary, The Daily Telegraph
Paddy O’Brien, Head of the IRB Referees Board
Reg Clark, Rhino Rugby
Richard Lewis, RFL
Richie McCaw, New Zealand
Stephen Jones, The Sunday Times

The list obviously has a certain UK bias, which will grate with many, but it's a starting point at least. Some inclusions are obvious - IRB boss Lapasset, SANZAR CEO Peters, referees' boss O'Brien and World Cup organiser Sneddon - but there are also a fair number of high-profile omissions.

I can understand McCaw's presence as arguably the best player in the world - but no reference to his management agency Essentially who look after him and his All Blacks colleague Dan Carter among others? Surely if you represent the game's best talent you wield a significant amount of influence?

On the subject of players - there is no mention of players' union boss Damian Hopley, who also heads up the International Rugby Players' Association. If you are in charge of ensuring players' welfare then it is fair to assume you hold some sway on the game in general.

Jonny Wilkinson's star may be on the wane but the wallet that took him - and a few other big names - to the south of France is still very much a big player - step forward Mourad Boudjellal.

And while the Rugby Football Union's status as the richest governing body is not in question - surely the strength of the All Blacks brand warrants the inclusion of NZRU chief executive Steve Tew? From the chief executive ranks, there is also an argument that IRB No.2 Mike Millar is equally important when it comes to shaping the game.

Despite their increasing investment in the game, ESPN appear yet to have registered widely in the market and are absent but they are joined on the outer by the BBC - once the bedrock of rugby coverage in the UK. Sky's possession of the Heineken Cup and England internationals makes them a shoo-in for the list and ITV's recent World Cup deal leaves them well-placed also.

And while Rhino Rugby's name is welcome in the list, you would have thought the big hitters of adidas and Nike would carry more clout? One final thought - Judge Jeff Blackett has been a key figure in the sport of late and the sanctions he hands down reverberate around the game.

As already mentioned, this is a great talking point but the list suffers from a UK-focus due largely to the venue, the clientele and their collective exposure to the wider game. But it has definitely got us thinking at ESPN HQ so stay tuned for our definitive list in the near future.

Got any suggestions? Let us know!

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