Force Goooooooone
-
Force say they will take it to court
The Western Force are set to take the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) to court after being axed from the Super Rugby competition - and billionaire Andrew Forrest has vowed to back them.
The ARU won its arbitration hearing against RugbyWA on Friday, and immediately announced it would axe the Force.
But the saga isn't about to end, with RugbyWA releasing a statement saying it will consider launching urgent proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW.
It will also consider mounting legal action relating to the circumstances which led it to enter into the Alliance Agreement last year with the ARU.
Forrest reaffirmed his pledge to do everything within his powers to save the Force, with the issue set to be fought out in the courts."We want leadership from the Australian Rugby Union, not cowardly litigation," Forrest said.
"But if they want to continue to fight us, we will happily take them on for as long as it takes.
"This (decision by the ARU) is like dumping the fastest improving athlete or the silver medallist from the Olympic swimming squad and leaving the worst performer in there."It is a ludicrous and unfair legal initiative by the ARU. This would only get through litigation and never logic."
The Force had grown confident in recent weeks they would survive the axe, but Friday's arbitration decision leaves them on death's door.
The Perth-based franchise finished second in the Australian conference during the Super Rugby season, and had nine players selected last month in an extended Wallabies squad.
Grassroots rugby in WA has also grown from strength to strength since the Force's 2006 introduction.
But if the Force's expected appeal fails, they will be left with no choice but to wrap up operations.
The ARU said the decision to "discontinue the Force's licence" was based primarily on financial outcomes.
ARU chairman Cameron Clyne said Australian rugby couldn't sustain five teams.
The Melbourne Rebels had been the other team on the chopping block, but they are safe.
The Victorian Rugby Union owns the Rebels after buying them from former owner Andrew Cox for $1."This is a sad day for rugby, especially for Western Force fans," Clyne said in a statement.
"We accept that there will be anger and resentment over this decision and we sympathise with those fans. We sincerely hope that they are not lost to the game forever."The decision to exit the Western Force from Super Rugby is not a decision to abandon the game in Western Australia.
"Western Australia will retain an important place in Australian rugby and the ARU will continue to support youth development programs and the community game in the West."There will be a clear pathway for young Western Australian rugby players to reach the highest level and represent the Wallabies."
The Force's best finish was in 2014, when they only narrowly missed the finals with a 9-7 record.
The Force made vast improvement this year under rookie coach Dave Wessels, unearthing a host of talented players who the franchise hoped would carry them to a title within three years."Whilst the board of RugbyWA is extremely disappointed with the ARU's stated position, with the support of the Rugby community and numerous WA business identities including Mr Andrew Forrest we will continue the fight to retain the Force in Western Australia," the Force said in a statement.
-
At least the ARU have been honest in declaring it came down to money.
Fact is the ARU are deep in the shit monetarily and the biggest overhead with the least output is the one to go. Pity they didn't apply that thinking to the Wallabies players a while back.
-
Yep, shit decision. The ARU need to start making rugby decisions not basing everything purely on money or their ship will sink completely.
I hope the Rebels don't win a game next year.
One positive to come out of this however is that we have avoided the farcical situation where the ARU suddenly decides they don't want to cut a side like has been regularly suggested since this all began.
-
At least the ARU have been honest in declaring it came down to money.
Fact is the ARU are deep in the shit monetarily and the biggest overhead with the least output is the one to go. Pity they didn't apply that thinking to the Wallabies players a while back.
@Crucial said in Force Goooooooone:
At least the ARU have been honest in declaring it came down to money.
Fact is the ARU are deep in the shit monetarily and the biggest overhead with the least output is the one to go. Pity they didn't apply that thinking to the Wallabies players a while back.
I read that as a bit of a dig at the Rebels... suggesting they were forced into a shit decision by financial blackmail. Just trying to shift a little bit of the blame in some minds. Yellow.
-
ARU have pissed away about $13M on the Rebels since Day 1 according to some reports.
Force at least had a plan to have fans buy a share of the joint.
@NTA said in Force Goooooooone:
ARU have pissed away about $13M on the Rebels since Day 1 according to some reports.
Force at least had a plan to have fans buy a share of the joint.
Rebels will never overtake AFL and the Storm, it would have been easy to ditch them
-
@NTA said in Force Goooooooone:
ARU have pissed away about $13M on the Rebels since Day 1 according to some reports.
Force at least had a plan to have fans buy a share of the joint.
Rebels will never overtake AFL and the Storm, it would have been easy to ditch them
@canefan said in Force Goooooooone:
Rebels will never overtake AFL and the Storm, it would have been easy to ditch them
I think the truth was the opposite.
This decision had nothing to do with rugby, or even money. It was just about which team they could legally cut. The Rebels ownership deal gave the ARU no outs whatsoever, apart from buying back the team. Once it became clear that was never going to happen, they couldn't kick the Rebels out if they tried.
The Force, on the other hand, had a clause the ARU could enact. Which they have, to the detriment of our game.
While people are rightfully slamming Pulver now, the real errors were made years ago when these deals were done.
-
@canefan said in Force Goooooooone:
Rebels will never overtake AFL and the Storm, it would have been easy to ditch them
I think the truth was the opposite.
This decision had nothing to do with rugby, or even money. It was just about which team they could legally cut. The Rebels ownership deal gave the ARU no outs whatsoever, apart from buying back the team. Once it became clear that was never going to happen, they couldn't kick the Rebels out if they tried.
The Force, on the other hand, had a clause the ARU could enact. Which they have, to the detriment of our game.
While people are rightfully slamming Pulver now, the real errors were made years ago when these deals were done.
@barbarian I meant from a rugby POV. But yeah, looks like an epic fail by the ARU
-
@canefan said in Force Goooooooone:
Rebels will never overtake AFL and the Storm, it would have been easy to ditch them
I think the truth was the opposite.
This decision had nothing to do with rugby, or even money. It was just about which team they could legally cut. The Rebels ownership deal gave the ARU no outs whatsoever, apart from buying back the team. Once it became clear that was never going to happen, they couldn't kick the Rebels out if they tried.
The Force, on the other hand, had a clause the ARU could enact. Which they have, to the detriment of our game.
While people are rightfully slamming Pulver now, the real errors were made years ago when these deals were done.
@barbarian I guess the question is why those decision had to be made in the first place. There has been fault on many sides dating back a few years now.
Looking at the talent pool I think 4 teams is where Australian rugby is at. It's a tough decision but one that makes the most "sense" given the ownership arrangements. Very tough pill to swallow for fans etc, but Pulver hasn't been the only one that has made this bed.
Reducing Super rugby teams is a positive IMO, within the current SANZAAR model and TV deal.
Of course there are more structural issues that need to be addressed that go to the future of Super rugby but these short term decisions did need to be made. There will be a fallout no doubt.
-
@canefan said in Force Goooooooone:
Rebels will never overtake AFL and the Storm, it would have been easy to ditch them
I think the truth was the opposite.
This decision had nothing to do with rugby, or even money. It was just about which team they could legally cut. The Rebels ownership deal gave the ARU no outs whatsoever, apart from buying back the team. Once it became clear that was never going to happen, they couldn't kick the Rebels out if they tried.
The Force, on the other hand, had a clause the ARU could enact. Which they have, to the detriment of our game.
While people are rightfully slamming Pulver now, the real errors were made years ago when these deals were done.
@barbarian said in Force Goooooooone:
While people are rightfully slamming Pulver now, the real errors were made years ago when these deals were done.
It takes extraordinary incompetence to sell a franchise, the licence to operate and still provide financial support for another five years. Of course, this happened while Pulver was CEO...
-
Some reactions:
http://twitter.com/Pekcowan/status/895916311351500801
Following today’s arbitration decision in favour of the ARU, and the subsequent announcement from ARU to discontinue the Western Force, RUPA CEO Ross Xenos has released the following statement: “Today's is the darkest day in the history of Australian Rugby with the custodian of the game confirming their desire to end the tenure of the Western Force and abandoning the game's national footprint." "The future of professional Rugby in Western Australia will now be the collateral damage of the decision making of the ARU and SANZAAR to expand Super Rugby to a convoluted and complicated 18 team structure against various advice and modelling received which explained the associated risks." “Players, staff and their families at the Western Force have been put under unprecedented and, quite frankly, completely unreasonable duress throughout this ridiculous and destructive process." “RUPA has and will continue to provide any support that is necessary for all players affected by the ARU's decision. We have staff in Perth and are in regular contact with all contracted players at the Force and their respective agents. RUPA will do whatever it takes to ensure that players' contractual rights are honoured and no player is unfairly disadvantaged by the ARU’s decision." “The people of Western Australia have campaigned fairly, passionately and with integrity in order to show that the Western Force deserve to have a place in Super Rugby. That campaign has fallen on deaf ears. We understand that Rugby WA are considering their legal position from this point forward and we respect their rights to explore such avenues." Out of respect for the players and staff at the Western Force, RUPA will not be making any further comment at this time.@Stargazer said in Force Goooooooone:
Following today’s arbitration decision in favour of the ARU, and the subsequent announcement from ARU to discontinue the Western Force, RUPA CEO Ross Xenos has released the following statement: “Today's is the darkest day in the history of Australian Rugby with the custodian of the game confirming their desire to end the tenure of the Western Force and abandoning the game's national footprint." "The future of professional Rugby in Western Australia will now be the collateral damage of the decision making of the ARU and SANZAAR to expand Super Rugby to a convoluted and complicated 18 team structure against various advice and modelling received which explained the associated risks." “Players, staff and their families at the Western Force have been put under unprecedented and, quite frankly, completely unreasonable duress throughout this ridiculous and destructive process." “RUPA has and will continue to provide any support that is necessary for all players affected by the ARU's decision. We have staff in Perth and are in regular contact with all contracted players at the Force and their respective agents. RUPA will do whatever it takes to ensure that players' contractual rights are honoured and no player is unfairly disadvantaged by the ARU’s decision." “The people of Western Australia have campaigned fairly, passionately and with integrity in order to show that the Western Force deserve to have a place in Super Rugby. That campaign has fallen on deaf ears. We understand that Rugby WA are considering their legal position from this point forward and we respect their rights to explore such avenues." Out of respect for the players and staff at the Western Force, RUPA will not be making any further comment at this time.
Did RUPA fight expansion..?
-
The Force are gone....giving the NRL a golden opportunity to expand to Perth and reap all the benefits.....
@Sneakdefreak said in Force Goooooooone:
The Force are gone....giving the NRL a golden opportunity to expand to Perth and reap all the benefits.....
Ever hear of the massive success of the Western Reds?
Fuck the state of rugby here makes me sick. The Reds recently had their gear available at 70% discounts. 70 farking percent.
BTW, for those who told people like me to fuck off and shut up when questioning expansion. Here's the result you fucking idiots.
-
Western Australia's revenge ...
Premier Mark McGowan will scrap $4 million payment to ARU
PREMIER Mark McGowan has exacted swift revenge on the Australian Rugby Union for its decision to axe the Western Force by scrapping a deal to bring forward a $4 million payment to stage the Bledisloe Cup at Perth Stadium. While the blockbuster match between the Wallabies and All Blacks will still go-ahead in Perth in 2019, the WA Government is no longer willing to agree to the cash-strapped ARU’s request to make early payments. Mr McGowan earlier this year agreed to the request on the proviso the Force’s future in the Super Rugby competition was guaranteed. On Friday, WA’s rugby union community was devastated when the ARU announced it would cut the Perth-based team from the 2018 season and keep the Melbourne Rebels instead. The WA Government is paying the ARU $5 million to stage Perth’s first Bledisloe Cup match. The former Barnett government late last year handed over the first $1 million, but the ARU will now have to wait another two years to get its hands on the remainder. (...) Mr McGowan also revealed the Government was re-visiting commitments made to WA several years ago by the ARU when the State agreed to pour millions into rugby in WA, including a $95 million upgrade to nib Stadium. “Over the years the State had invested a significant amount of money towards the Force,” Mr McGowan said. “What we’ll do is get to the bottom of any undertakings the ARU gave the State Government that underpinned the decisions to pour millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money into rugby.” (...) -
Western Australia's revenge ...
Premier Mark McGowan will scrap $4 million payment to ARU
PREMIER Mark McGowan has exacted swift revenge on the Australian Rugby Union for its decision to axe the Western Force by scrapping a deal to bring forward a $4 million payment to stage the Bledisloe Cup at Perth Stadium. While the blockbuster match between the Wallabies and All Blacks will still go-ahead in Perth in 2019, the WA Government is no longer willing to agree to the cash-strapped ARU’s request to make early payments. Mr McGowan earlier this year agreed to the request on the proviso the Force’s future in the Super Rugby competition was guaranteed. On Friday, WA’s rugby union community was devastated when the ARU announced it would cut the Perth-based team from the 2018 season and keep the Melbourne Rebels instead. The WA Government is paying the ARU $5 million to stage Perth’s first Bledisloe Cup match. The former Barnett government late last year handed over the first $1 million, but the ARU will now have to wait another two years to get its hands on the remainder. (...) Mr McGowan also revealed the Government was re-visiting commitments made to WA several years ago by the ARU when the State agreed to pour millions into rugby in WA, including a $95 million upgrade to nib Stadium. “Over the years the State had invested a significant amount of money towards the Force,” Mr McGowan said. “What we’ll do is get to the bottom of any undertakings the ARU gave the State Government that underpinned the decisions to pour millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money into rugby.” (...)@Stargazer pointless political opportunism by McGowan.
-
They couldn't win - everyone agrees that a team needs to be cut, but can't agree on who it will be.
@Godder I don't think everyone agrees at all.
Based on what have read on G&G and theroar a lot of people feel that the ARU should maintain a national footprint and it is difficult to fault that opinion.
The real problem is that the SANZAR unions have put all their eggs in the soup basket. But at the same time soup rugby is not generating the money that SA and AUS rugby needs to fight off the northern clubs money which has in turn undermined the product to an extent where it is turning fans of the comp.
-
This is a pretty good summary of the mood over here IMO
