The Western Force are reportedly set to be the Australian franchise axed from next year’s Super Rugby competition if SANZAAR pushes forward with a proposed restructure.
According to News Limited on Monday night, the Perth-based club will be cut from the current 18-team format as the governing body seeks to reduce the bloated competition to 15 teams.
However, it’s believed SANZAAR will only proceed with the planned competition changes if South Africa agrees to cut two of their six teams.
They’re due to make a decision by April 6, with the Southern Kings looking vulnerable along with either the Cheetahs or Lions.
There’s been plenty of speculation over which of the five Australian clubs would be punted following a SANZAAR meeting in London two weeks ago that centred on the preferred format.
The NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds were always going to be safe, leaving the Canberra-based Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels and Force to fight it out for survival.
Two-time champions the Brumbies are Australia’s most successful franchise, the privately-owned Rebels have struggled to make a mark since their inaugural season in 2011 and the Force have never made the Super Rugby finals in their 11-season history.
The Force launched a new franchise ownership campaign last week with interested parties asked to buy shares in the club.
The Force were quick to issue a statement in response to the news.
“Under no circumstances do we believe today’s speculation around the future of the Western Force to be true,” the statement read.
“Two and half weeks ago, through a national phone link-up all clubs were told that the ARU through the governing body, SANZAAR was investigating a number of issues and those issues had to be resolved prior to a decision being made to reduce any of the Australian franchises.
“There has been no further contact from the Australian Rugby Union to any of the Western Force players or staff, so at this time there is no further comment on the matter until substantiated facts are put forward.”
Hannes
Guest
You need to relate the team's performance to the support. Initially there was 20,000 members that dropped to 5,000. If the ARU provided a level playing field or even support the Force could have been more successful. instead the ARU undermined the Force by withdrawing funding, scheduling games so that the Force have the worst travel schedule and shortest turnaround between games, making it difficult to attract good players and retain Wallabies, etc. Contrast the lack of support the Force received against what was provided for the Rebels or what the AFL has done to develop the Sydney Giants team. The ARU just need to get their act together and stop treating the Force as a training ground for the Eastern States. Remember the Force academy delivered players of the calibre of David Pocock, Digby Ioni, James O'Connor etc...
Nabley
Guest
The real problem is the West Australian rugby community and public have Not supported their team. The stadium is usually empty.
Hannes
Guest
Yes, there is too much rugby. I only watch the Force and Lions games, and have little interest in watching the rest.
Demak
Roar Rookie
Love watching Oz v NZ teams forget the rest it's just too difficult ".....lost interest and never watch the others
Hannes
Guest
Did your GST share drop to 30c in a $1? No never! The extend that Western Australians have to subsidise other States is beyond reasonable and unprecedented in Australian history. That is what we want fixed. Contrast this the additional personal tax we paid to help Queensland's recovery after Yasi. West Australian had no problem to do our share, however the relationship is one sided. WA should go their own way like New Zealand, we can be friends be we should govern ourselves. We voted for it twice. Lets do it!
AndyS
Guest
Indeed Brett, suggesting that from the ARU and NewsCorp end it is a done deal at the first opportunity...
Jake
Guest
Funny. Tax dollars from Eastern Australia (Qld, Vic, NSW) supported WA for decades until they were finally able stand on their own 2 feet. They were more than happy to take it then. Now, the shoe is on the other foot
Bakkies
Guest
'The ARU have never given our team the support the other teams have had. ' The Brumbies haven't either. See my post in the other article in relation to the ARU structure under O'Neill in his first stint as CEO
Bakkies
Guest
'I really can’t work out why more isn’t being made of this pretty key point: “However, it’s believed SANZAAR will only proceed with the planned competition changes if South Africa agrees to cut two of their six teams.' Exactly that's the Australian and particularly the Sydney press for you. SARU are backed in to a corner (relegation almost threw the Lions out of business) and I can't imagine the Argies would stab them in the back considering they are in their conference along with the relationship between the two unions. SA was the biggest advocate for Arg's inclusion in both competitions.
Hannes
Guest
Agree. Eastern Australia only see us as part of the country when they want to steal our money. WA is in a recession. property prices are dropping... and now they want to raise interest rates? We should stop to ask for the Eastern states for permission, and do our own thing!
Hannes
Guest
The release of this information was surely intended to sabotage the "own the Force" campaign! Shocking behaviour by the ARU!!! This is not the ethos of rugby and the reason why rugby in Australia is in trouble.
Piru
Guest
We've voted to do so twice, let's do it! Westralian Force
Hertryk
Guest
One of the reasons we campaigned long and hard to get a team in the West was to have a passageway for the young players coming through to develop without having to go over East. This makes me sick to my stomach. The ARU have never given our team the support the other teams have had. The Rebels were the last team in why isn't their head on the chopping block? When we were given the team over Melbourne back in 2005 the Melburnians never let us forget it, and weren't happy until they were finally given a franchise. We need a team in the West for the growth of Rugby. The ARU have treated us dispicably and Pulver should be ashamed..
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
I have said this before on another for and i say it again - More ammunition and reason for the West to secede – The eastern state thieves already steal 68% of our GST, 52% of our fuel excise ($6 billion over 4 years) while we have 7 of the most congested roads in Australia, to prop up corrupt and dysfunctional state governments – and now they are to cut the Western Force = so the eastern potato heads as piru accurately refers to them – believe the West is expendable – as does the head potato head in Canberra; well they found out how that works at the last state election – as they will at the next national election. The West should divorce itself from the ARU and set up a rugby based state then invite Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue and Papua New Guinea and adjoining sovereign nations etc to join them in local competition and stuff the ARU. The standard will be as high as the current national crop !
Dubaikiwi
Guest
Which implies that the ARU has already rolled over and is now playing dead, great governance. After Dubai i had moved to Perth late last year and the Rugby people i have meet are as passionate as any supporter but if the ARU go ahead with this and it is Perth you lose so much growth, if there is no pathway in the west your NRC champions will fold as a franchise and rugby will die.
Brett McKay
Expert
I really can't work out why more isn't being made of this pretty key point: "However, it’s believed SANZAAR will only proceed with the planned competition changes if South Africa agrees to cut two of their six teams."
robel
Roar Pro
The ARU have a lot to answer for, this speculation and the topic of Brett's article re the Aust rugby participation is having a huge detrimental impact on Aust fans/players/explayers particularly in the West here. If no teams are up for the chop then surely there is no point being quite about it. As they are (the ARU) being so ashamedly (and shamefully) quite about it then we know someone (Force/Rebels/Brumbs) is to be axed (culled is a weasel word in this context, much like rightsized in corporate speak). This latest bit of speculation has just about finished me with rugby, 50 years of age, 42 of them playing rugby, under 8's down on Langley Pk in Perth to school, clubs in Perth, Melbourne, Libya and back to Perth. Coaching/managing my sons junior team. tours around the country and to Singapore. I've seen the woeful support WARU has been given by the ARU over the last 40 odd years, this latest is the most appalling betrayal of all. Since the Force have been in Perth rugby has been becoming more obvious, despite the apparent lack of success on the field. But if the Force is axed, the ARU can forget ever trying to re-establish RU in Perth. It will still be played here, but no-one here will ever forgive the stab in the back by the ARU. The current stream of young players making their way into the professional arena from WA will stop and Aust Rugby will accelerate it's way down the international rankings.
Harry
Guest
Bad news if true, the wrong Australian side. Lets see but I feel for the Force organisation, players and fans.