Bill Beaumont has turned to ex-Lions team-mates to ‘keep Wales and Ireland on track’ and try to prevent one or both of the home nations voting against him in the World Rugby chairman election.

The former England and Lions captain appears to be in increasing danger of losing his momentous ballot battle with Agustin Pichot, due to the sudden threat of a splinter in the Six Nations voting bloc.

It was always assumed that the elite European countries — who have three votes each and exert huge collective power — would back Beaumont’s re-election en masse, but that is no longer a certainty.

Bill Beaumont (M) is calling upon former Lions teammates in his World Rugby chairmanship bid

Beaumont’s re-election is no longer a certainty with support growing for Agustin Pichot

Sportsmail reported earlier this week that there was a chance that one of the Six Nations unions would vote for Pichot and now it is understood that both the Irish and Welsh are considering the option of aligning with counterparts in the Southern Hemisphere by supporting the Argentine.

Such a scenario could serve as a devastating blow to Beaumont’s troubled campaign so he has been using his personal connections in an attempt to smooth over any doubts that he should be re-elected.

Multiple sources have indicated that officials in Ireland are aggrieved about the demise of their bid to host the 2023 World Cup, when French federation president Bernard Laporte managed to snatch the vote for his country with some 11th-hour wheeler-dealing.

Laporte is running for the World Rugby vice-chairman role in partnership with Beaumont, so Irish animosity towards the former France coach could scupper his English ally.

Beaumont's running mate Bernard Laporte is thought to have upset Ireland over World Cup bid

In contrast, senior officials at the Welsh Rugby Union are said to be ‘very principled’ and may cast their three votes in favour of Pichot in the belief that he simply has the best vision for rugby’s future.

Sportsmail has learned that the controversy over Fiji Rugby Union chairman and convicted killer Francis Kean may have ‘started to harm’ Beaumont’s campaign.

Kean was removed from the World Rugby council after allegations of homophobia and discrimination came to light. The FRU seconded Beaumont’s nomination.

All 51 votes must be cast by Thursday and the result will be officially announced on May 12.