There are three cornerstone stakeholders in professional sports: the supporters, the sponsors and the players.
For any successful professional sporting club to satisfy the expectations of all three stakeholders, their aim simply is to win.
When a club is very successful on the field, the supporters will fill the stadium and express their content, the sponsors will be pleased and presumably the players are to.
It all boils down to winning.
Professional sport is in the business of winning. Legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi famously once said “winning isn’t everything, it is the only thing”.
I watched the Western Force play the Waratahs at NIB stadium in Perth last Saturday night and was left with a bitter taste in my mouth. For two teams struggling for competition points this season, this game was of the utmost importance, although their reasons were completely different.
Even still, Vince Lombardi would be rolling in his grave if he had been witness to the lack of attitude and passion portrayed by both sides on the pitch.
The Waratahs needed to secure a win to keep their slim finals hopes alive and regain some confidence to NSW who are an ARU stalwart and the breeding ground for rugby union players in Australia.
The Waratahs backline possesses players with world class talent who certainly have the capability of creating a most exciting and exuberant attacking brand of rugby. T
The style of rugby that draws crowds from across the globe. However, was this potent attacking rugby on display on Saturday night? The answer is in an absolute no.
The Force on the other hand have been dismal this season and have been dismal since their inception back in 2006.
The Force have no expectation to play finals this season, however they had a lot to prove to their loyal supporters.
Michael Foley, the coach of the Western Force came out very publicly at the beginning of the season and expressed his desire and excitement for a new expansive style of rugby. For those who follow the Force or have caught glimpses of their games this season, the expansive game plan seems to be nothing more than media rhetoric and no such style has or ever will come into fruition.
This was evident with half an hour left in the match. Not for the first time this season, the Force’s heads dropped and their will to win and compete completely evaporated – much like the interests of many of the loyal supporters.
As a result, the Force’s lack of success has caused detrimental effects to the three major stakeholders and issues in regards to support and revenue for rugby in WA, a state that is AFL dominant.
Even after the honeymoon period of a new Super Rugby team, crowd numbers and interests into the club has declined significantly. At one stage the Force was one of the wealthiest clubs in the Super Rugby competition and while I accept that mining and resources companies injected a lot of capital into the club during these times, the revenue has dried up.
It was only this season that the ARU took control of the Western Force’s IP rights and the appointment of financial administrators by the ARU to the club.
The Force have troubled themselves to find a major sponsor to replace Emirates after the clubs first and major sponsor finally pulled the plug after the 2013 season.
The Force have failed to attract and retain world-class players. It’s hard to believe that once upon a time the Force boasted a roster that consisted of players like Matt Giteau, Dave Pocock, James O’Connor, Drew Mitchell and Nathan Sharpe.
Now its armoury has been depleted and it seems the Force are back at square one.
There has to be a way forward to resolve these issues. With any problem, you need to identify that there is one before you can fix it.
It is unfair to lampoon the Western Force and offer no support or solution.
My offer is this – the Force’s backs are against the wall and they need to take a risk.
There is opportunity out of this rut, but it’s going to take a seriously bold move.
The first move starts with appointing the right head coach, a coach who commands the respect of his peers so that world-class players get excited to play under him.
The age of key position players is also a decisive factor that is not on the Force’s side, and will inevitably cause fundamental issues in the near future.
The Force desperately need a world-class coach that will entice talent over to the west, and also develop younger talent into solid Super Rugby players through a comprehensive system.
There is a coach residing in the UK who has been humiliated and embarrassed by the RFU and the international rugby community.
Stuart Lancaster, although tried by his own people and convicted for a shock early exit from the 2015 Rugby World Cup, is a world-class coach. He has coached England to three Six Nations runner ups, holds a decent overall winning percentage as head coach. He also has bragging rights over many of his Northern Hemisphere counterparts for coaching England to a famous win over the All Blacks – an achievement that can’t be understated.
A desperate coach meets a desperate club, both chasing a similar goal, utilising ruthless tenacity to win and regain much needed respect.
Stuart Lancaster will bring international standards to the playing group, not only limited to the on-field performances but equally to an off-field cultural revamp.
He has displayed terrific player management and was praised for his ability to turn around England’s off field dilemmas after their horror 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign. Lancaster has what it takes to be a successful coach in the Super Rugby competition.
Bakkies
Guest
Jake White joined the Brumbies after at least 11 players left and he recruited from a camp in Narrabeen
Bakkies
Guest
Apprenticed as in Leeds Tykes, England Saxons and might have done the under 20s as well
Bakkies
Guest
There is more than just that. There's the Academy, A side and junior cup teams that are developed within the system in the professional setup. You're in a dreamworld if you think a small side of 32 players will get you through a season. Even in the Super 12 days it rarely did.
harry corrigan
Guest
This is a really good idea and SL would be perfect for it, It's overlooked that he did the same in the UK prior to becoming coach of Eng, what Perth needs is a little international flavour to attract TV viewers from elsewhere, Japan, RSA, UK players would add to the appeal of the Force, however, not sure that the rugby brains of the ARU and Force can see that far ahead, I've said this before, if we want to grow the game and revenue we need to look to the billion or so people on our doorstep.
Cynical Play
Guest
What about Mr Byrne, the recently repatriated ex-AB attack coach who is on Foxtel Rugby 360 panel with Cheika. Ho looks and sounds EXCELLENT.
Gilbert
Guest
Please take Lancaster, leave Todd for Reds.
Simoc
Guest
Maybe drop the Western Force or have the weak South African side merge with it as I think Saffers and Kiwis make up the majority of union followers in Perth. I don't fancy Stuart Lancasters chances. He'de be on a hiding for nothing.
Squirrel
Guest
Thanks don , yeah I did not make much sense but that is what I meant. The coach can only do so much
CUW
Guest
u cant get a good coach without the money and/or good playing roster. in rugger , the changes to coaches is not very frequent , but in footy it is a common thing. in footy u need a lot of money to get the best coaches, and obviously a team with a lot of money will also have a great player roster.
CUW
Guest
Insanity - doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. i just wonder who said this first but i recall in the movie CON AIR , the serial killer tells this to the hero , Nicholas Cage :)
puff
Guest
Stuart Lancaster is very much a product of the English system and believes big lumbering forwards who enjoy lineout’s, scrums and playing in the rain is the secret to success. SH rugby is much more dynamic and whether we agree or not. SR rugby is the most innovative and sets trends including the bench mark, flourishing teams train to obtain. As reiterated before he is not the solution he would only add to the problem.
Sheikh
Roar Rookie
Last time the Force tried to recruit a coach (after Richard Graham jumped to the Reds) they interviewed Cheika and almost had his signature. Then the Waratahs dropped Foley and signed Cheika, and the Force were left with Foley.
Carl Spackler
Guest
If they were smart they would get Ben Cousins or Chris Judd in to boost interest in the team. It's completely anonymous as it stands.
CUW
Guest
Lancaster's problem was he took a job for which he had not apprenticed. coaching at test level is a big thing , too many expectations AND the whole country is looking at u. given the fact that england is supposed to be the richest rugby union, and had the best of facilities, it was inconceivable they would not even get out of the round robbin stage :)
CUW
Guest
@ Bakkies : u dont come to super level and talk of developping young players,. it shud be done at a lower level . that is the problem with auzzy and the new super rugger in general. in the begining it was an elite competiton , the best of sh playing each other. now its just another club tournament .... :(
Cynical Play
Guest
I think they can, and need to, do better than Lancaster. I don't find him at all inspirational. I think there will be too great a cultural divide between Lancaster's game mindset and the Australian player psyche. I may well be wrong. I'd love to see Laurie Fisher come coach the Force. I'd also like to see them recruit some top players in key positions. I think top players would move to Perth to play under Laurie Fisher. hashtag: bringBACKlaurie
R2D2
Guest
Have you seen the current Oz derby matches,anything is better.
AndyS
Guest
It is an interesting problem to think on. One thing does seem obvious, which is that they need to approach things differently. Doing what they are doing now isn't working, playing the administration game the same way as the Eastern States. So maybe they should take a completely different approach. Close ranks, and only recruit locally. Many seem to have a problem with them using players from the east coast, so don't. Obviously keep the guys that have now put down roots, but only award new contracts to players that are based and playing locally. If someone in the east is sufficiently motivated, he can move west. That would obviously leave them quite a bit of salary cap room, so grow the extended training squad to incorporate all of the NRC players. That should significantly accelerate their development, so they should rapidly become a ready source of the players needed. Perhaps there might be someone slightly better on the east coast, but tough - there wouldn't be that much in it and players being developed via the NRC/SR path should rapidly close any gap. Rejects from the other teams can go overseas or pretend like there were only the four clubs - effectively reduces the number of teams without reducing the income. It would be interesting, if only to see how the two approaches developed.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Same reason I couldn't understand how the same side can beat one of the best sides of all time easily then capitulate three months later to Wales 30-3, where the team they toppled went on to win the first 100% season of the pro era. Never did get that either.
Timbo
Guest
'As many understand, the All Blacks were stricken by a debilitating virus in the week before the match and this definitely affected their play. It was a virus that swept through the U.K. as a 24 hour bug and there was nothing nefarious about the incident. However, it takes about 10 days to recover fully from this virus and it definitely affects stamina.' Never quite understood how come the ABs were camped on the English line, flinging the ball around, and running about like spring lambs in injury time after 80 grueling minutes given that this 'virus' seems to have morphed into ebola as the years pass.