Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest has issued a blunt warning to the ARU – if you want to cut the Force, you are going to have to defeat me first.
The findings from last week’s arbitration hearing between RugbyWA and the ARU is set to be handed down within days.
If the Force win, they will survive the axe until at least 2020.
But if they lose, the ARU is set to cull them from the Super Rugby competition.
Under that scenario, the Force are almost certain to appeal to the Supreme Court if they win a right of appeal.
Forrest has pledged to do whatever it takes to save the Force and he issued the ARU with a thinly-veiled threat.
“I want to be very clear to the ARU. You try to cut the Western Force, you have to go through me first, and then all of our players, and then our supporters, and then all of the parents of young players and, indeed, all proud Western Australians,” Forrest said
“This is bigger than just a rugby game. I stand behind all of these amazing people who believe in a fair go and the right for Australians to support rugby union as a national sport, not just one reduced to the eastern seaboard.”
Forrest is offering people interest-free loans to put money into the ‘Own the Force’ campaign.
Instead of people paying the money back to Forrest, they pack it back to RugbyWA – effectively giving the Force $2000 for every share sold.
The Force will use the money to buy back their licence from the ARU.
If the Force win the arbitration, the ARU faces a tough task to cut the Rebels.
The Victorian rugby union confirmed last weekend it had taken control of the Melbourne Rebels.
Andrew Cox’s Imperium Sports Group sold the 11,625,000 shares for just $1.
Ben
Guest
Hahaha. Wow. Jilted much?
piru
Roar Rookie
It was John Welbourne who suggested that, and I think it was intended more as an illustration of the absurdity of the situation than a legitimate suggestion the Brumbies be cut.
republican
Guest
.........perhaps but I doubt it. He is mercenary and ruthless and has already suggested that the Brumbies be the fall guys in all of this. He is far more about the 'cult of the personality' as a parochial Wassie than the overall state of the code here piru.........
republican
Guest
.......and this will ultimately prove more detrimental to the code here - perhaps? Certainly it would seem that both the Force and Rebels dogged survival will be the Brumbies undoing, so how will this likely outcome, improve Rugby in this country, pray tell?
republican
Guest
........a'la the USA piru?
republican
Guest
..........na, you can't expect the ACT to glean any parity whatsoever by 'getting together'. The power will be exclusive to the bigger commercial entity, i.e. Melbourne. This will dilute both the Rebels and the Brumbies ultimately, while I trust the Brumbies brand which holds far more commercial status globally, will not be compromised to this end. The ACTRU should stay steadfast in not compromising their intellectual property - even if they are left out of the Super plastic comp. We may simply look to join another comp, say in Japan or even NZ...........
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The Force and Rebels both had massive injury problems this season. The Tahs didn't have that excuse.
piru
Roar Rookie
Don't confuse Andrew Forrest with the likes of Rinehart et al He's a very different kind of billionaire
piru
Roar Rookie
Not sure what ‘standpoint’ you are referring to either. Can you be more specific? My point is this: first "We must cut a team to save money, The Force costs too much" then "Typical West Australians throwing money at their problems" When the problem is "We need more money" investing more money would seem to be a legitimate answer.
Gman
Guest
About the only people really fighting for RU in this country at the moment seem to be Josephine Sukkar and Andrew Forrest I hope the Force survive *(equally the ACT and the Reb's get together) I hope Super Rugby survives... actually - I hope rugby survives
UTB
Guest
Like 99% of rugby fans I've always wanted the Force to keep going and I've really enjoyed watching them play this year. They're the pick of the Aussie teams. If they survive it'll be a good thing. But frankly I find watching a billionaire on an ego trip in the name of Rugby more than a bit distasteful. He could have put money in 5 years ago without the pomp and heroics. Then we wouldn't be watching our cashless sport spending what little money they have on legal costs. Nobody is saying that the ARU aren't clowns - but having their limit funds frittered away is not helping the game.
Sydneysider
Guest
Every sport has had their issues over the years, but I have to honestly say that this debacle is up there with the old NSL which died in 2004. The ARU are the laughing stock of Australian sport. Rugby fans need to lead the rebellion and kick out the current ARU management. What a debacle.
cuw
Guest
nope - rebels have the worst performance.
Hannes
Guest
The ARU's why is "because we promised SANZAAR we will". The financial viability of the Force is now proven and I expect the Rebels will make their case later. So it is not about money anymore. The concentration of players argument has always been weak as the poor performance of a star studded Tahs and Reds illustrated while the "weak" Brumbies and Force topped the conference. The "what for" has never been properly answered. The incompetence of the ARU is staggering.
Hannes
Guest
It is the ARU that stabbed the Force in their back and try to circumvent their commercial obligation. The ARU is the aggressor that bodge the culling process and made it a however can survive the longest win competition. Your anger should be directed at th ARU as they are pig headed in their pursuit to axe the Force. It is not a merit based decision, what else do you propose the Force do?
Hannes
Guest
Are the ARU prepared to alienate WA, Vic and ACT in one year? The only thing they manage to cut is their reputations.
sheek
Roar Guru
Well, that would be the end of the ARU's "why", wouldn't it. If the ARU's "why" has become increasingly irrelevant in the past four months, it's pretty dead now. If it wasn't obvious before, it ought to be now.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
I've been suggesting the same, Clyde. But if done in OZ we would need a decent national comp for the relegated team (and fans) to stay interested. I short we need a strong national comp. Cutting the Force does not help create a strong national comp, in itself. We can no longer depend on Saanzaar. We need our own Curry/ITM type comp, yesterday.
republican
Guest
........far moreso than the west piru, to be sure and thats why the west should do us all a favour, together with Qld, & secede. Not sure what 'standpoint' you are referring to either. Can you be more specific?
republican
Guest
........capitalism is certainly far more entrenched in the west piru. You only need to know a tad about the political climate that has dominated that state for as long as I can recall anyway. I know about this first hand as I have family who have left WA because of this entrenched way of doing business and their contempt for 'the East'. Thats why the west would be doing us all a favour, together with Qld, if they would put their $ where there mouth is, & secede........