The International Rugby Board is set to change its name to World Rugby in November.

According to the London Times, the IRB wants to lose the image of a group of men in suits sitting round boardroom tables, making decisions and fiddling with the laws of the game. It also hopes the new name and a new logo will reflect its desire to grow the global game.

'The name IRB has been a bit of a handicap in our development process,' CEO Brett Gosper told the newspaper. The change is almost so obvious, it’s extraordinary it has not happened before.

'The name IRB stands for a body of people. World Rugby is a movement; the new name does what it says on the tin.

'The name IRB doesn’t automatically give you the understanding of what it is. We feel that “World Rugby” allows a greater understanding. We have a remit to grow the game, so we feel we are legitimate in calling ourselves “World Rugby”.

The new name and logo will be launched at the IRB World Rugby Conference in London on 19 November.