Regarding the Super Rugby format, to put it frankly, the ARU has made a laughing stock of rugby in this country.
I am embarrassed every time I am asked by family, friends and colleagues about the format of Super Rugby and why a team needs to be cut from the competition.
The ARU directors should be ashamed of the way they have handled this whole sorry affair.
The abysmal underperformance of all Australian teams, particularly the Waratahs and the Reds, is simply a reflection of the unfocused and directionless board of directors not only in recent times but over last decades.
If the Force or indeed the Rebels are cut from the competition, it further demonstrates the eastern states-centric nature of our sport’s administration.
Our game absolutely needs a national footprint, especially when under such pressure from AFL. The ARU should review how the VFL went about morphing into a national game.
Here in Western Australia, thousands of men and women have made a huge voluntary commitment to growing rugby in Perth and around the state. Their efforts have never been stronger than since the Western Force came into being, and we’re striving, successfully, to produce our own Super Rugby players and Wallabies. To drop the Force would effectively kill off the game in Western Australia.
I ask you to consider what happened to the rugby league here in the West when the Western Reds were dropped from the NRL. In simple terms, a majority of clubs simply closed their doors and disappeared. Many of their supporters moved across to rugby.
I for one – and many others I know – will not attend and support the Wallabies Test match against South Africa at NIB Stadium on 9 September if the Force are excluded from the Super Rugby competition.
Further, my subscription to Foxtel will be cancelled immediately if the Force are to leave the competition. I have Foxtel for only two reasons: to watch Super Rugby and the team I support, and to watch the Wallabies.
I am aware that most of my rugby colleagues are considering the same action. Without the Force, I will have no further need for pay TV as the AFL and the ABC are available on free to air.
It is my view that the ARU should go back to SANZAAR and inform them that Australia is united – we will have five teams or no teams.
A second-best scenario for rugby across Australia is to merge Canberra and Melbourne. Consider the difficult but successful decision of the AFL to merge or relocate teams from Melbourne to the northern states.
Mr Clyne, there are thousands of disappointed sports fans in Western Australia and Victoria. Do what you know is right. Engage all your board members in this most important decision regarding the future of our game. Use all the skills and best efforts of your entire board to maintain five teams and focus on growing the game through junior development. In doing so consider the great work and extremely successful model implemented by RugbyWA.
I have sent a copy of my correspondence to your fellow directors as well as Nick McArdle at Foxtel.
I respectfully anticipate a response to my correspondence.
Yours sincerely,
Robert Harper
scottd
Guest
TWAS verbal contracts can be binding too. But as a non lawyer what would I know :)
scottd
Guest
I think you may not have counted the country rugby clubs mate?
scottd
Guest
The kids teams have doubled since the inception of the Force. Extrapolating that (sorry Piru) into future increased support for the game and the Force is logical However TWAS is correct that you have to survive to get to that point. The Force last money for 5 years at about $400k per annum plus another one off $2m for the stadium moves (source WARU accounts and annual reports). This happened largely due to the lack of a headline sponsor during those years. We mow have a headline sponsor deal for 3 years with another 3 yr renewal. The deal is for $1.5M per annum. On the basis of those numbers the Force are financially viable and don't need ARU support. In fact, based on those numbers WARU will make about half of what the rest of Australia (ARU numbers) made in 2016. So yes there is an economic argument (referring to a comment by TWAS above) but on that argument alone the Force should stay. But it'll never actually be that simple.......
Kashmir Pete
Roar Guru
RIGHT ON. Base Brumbies in Melbourne - remove 1 return flight, for every single "away game' they play, relative to Canberra. Home games against Sydney/Qld in ACT. Melbourne fans MUST travel, if wish to see "historic grudge matches". Home games against NZ teams, Perth, Japan, Argentina always in Melbourne - for benefit of their player welfare. All South African games in ACT. Option for Brumbies to with one SA team for "double header" games in Perth, along with another visiting SA team playing Force on the same day. Melb/ACT/SA fans can fly in for weekend for annual event. Best part of this - Melbourne joins ACT fans in 2 x annual "SUPER GRUDGES" with Sydney/QLD in Canberra. Gets back to momentum, not approaching State of Origina, but similar, only with Melb/Canb direct stakeholders. For whingers saying Brumbies will lose Canberra fans - get it right, you will be the Manchester United of Oz SR. Just as a Pac Islander super team, become the best supported rugby team, GLOBALLY. Cheers KP
andrewM
Guest
I'll still go, but in my Force gear and a big sign that says F U A R U
andrewM
Guest
what he said too ^^
andrewM
Guest
When my friends and I at The Whole Force made the "I am the Western Force" banner (http://www.rugby.com.au/videos/2017/04/26/00/07/force-fans) we were surprised at how many clubs had popped up in the past 5 years - especially junior ones and in the country too. Where I live in Ellenbrook, the support for the Ellenbrook Vipers has been pretty impressive. Mind you, Rugby League has done well with too with the Ellenbrook Rabitohs - winning a national award for being the best run club or something like that.
andrewM
Guest
Well you're wrong there Warren! I can name at least 100 personal friends and colleagues who are born and bred Western Force fans
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
I'm one as are the majority of my clubmates.
Robert Harper
Guest
I agree Ron, five teams is by far the bet option. A merge of Brumbies and Melbourne is not desirable nor is dropping Force. I love the fact that The Brumbies started out as a team of rejects from Qld and NSW and through great management and coaching have proved themselves to be the best performed Australian team. The only reason I would consider or suggest the merge option is for geographical reasons. And they top the Austrian conference right now. Five teams is by far the best long term option. Four is a short term grab for cash.
piru
Roar Rookie
No. Just for those people with a mortgage… I've got two and I manage
piru
Roar Rookie
back 'home' You can take the boys out of a league state but you can't take the league state out of the boys
Midfielder
Guest
ARU COO Rob Clarke resigns http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/05/04/03/04/rob-clarke-resignation
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I agree the future is all about the kids. We have to survive the present though otherwise there will be no future anywhere.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What reason is there to suggest that any of these 3 have any capability to be good sports administrators? The fact that they were good coaches means nothing, unless we are talking about them coming on board as a rugby coach.
ScottD
Roar Guru
but at least he'll go down defiant to the end :)
concerned supporter
Guest
TWAS, Please stop your confusion raising tactics. You have a very short memory when it suits, Remember Alan Jones, Bob Dwyer & Rod McQueen? Forget CV's. The current ARU Board seem more concerned with damage to their CV's rather than any positive action to the Rugby Community. You and a couple of rogue Roarers are on your own as far as the ARU Board is concerned.
ScottD
Roar Guru
The future is all about the kids mate. Far more important in my view than a temporary drop in numbers due to bad fixture (like Thursday afternoon games that Piru hates) or a bad coach (such as one that Force and Reds recently shared) etc. these things pass but the benefit of kids involvement lives on forever. Look to the kiddeeeeeeeeeessssss
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Who are these better people? Why are they better than the people currently in these positions? Please outline what from their CV's suggests this?
concerned supporter
Guest
Better People TWAS, Better People