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Western Force coach Dave Wessels says some of his players were reduced to tears following the ARU’s decision to axe the franchise, but he’s urging them not to jump ship just yet.
The Force are on the brink of extinction after being kicked out of the Super Rugby competition by the ARU last Friday.
RugbyWA, backed by billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest, will attempt to overturn the decision in the Supreme Court if they win a right of appeal.
Wessels was in his native South Africa when news broke of the Force’s demise, and he has been busy counselling players ever since.
“Everyone’s pretty devastated. I’ve tried to phone each player,” Wessels said.
“I’ve had guys in tears and all sorts of stuff. People at this stage are pretty emotional.
“We’re just trying to stick together as a group.
“We feel like we’ve been building something special here over the last few months. Some of the players who have re-signed have actually taken pay cuts. That’s how much they care about the club and the group
“It would be sad to see the group just dissolved all of a sudden.”
If RugbyWA wins a right of appeal, it could take between four to six weeks before the Supreme Court rules on the matter.
In the meantime, rival Super Rugby franchises could swoop on some of the Force’s biggest stars.
It remains unclear exactly how the ARU are going to split up the players among the four remaining Australian franchises.
Some Force players may even quit Australian rugby altogether in order to take up deals overseas.
Wessels says it’s important for his players to hold off on making any decisions until a timeline is set for the potential court case against the ARU.
That could be known by early this week.
“As those opportunities present for the players, we’re just asking them to tell us about them and talk about them,” Wessels said.
“I understand – particularly for players who have young families – I’d be disappointed if they didn’t think of their families first and foremost.
“I know that all of them want to do the right thing by the club, but I also understand that at some point they’re going to have to make a decision.
“We’re just trying to balance that out by sharing as much information as we can. It’s not over yet.”
The Force finished second in the Australian conference this year.
The franchise boasts one of the most exciting young squads in Australian rugby, with nine players recently selected in an extended Wallabies squad.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.