Some 8000 people packed out Rugby WA headquarters on Sunday morning to support the Western Force and vent their anger.
High-profile Western Australians from all walks of life, players and officials from other codes, and politicians from both sides of the fence were in attendance.
Sports Minister Mick Murray said the state government was right behind the campaign to save the Force.
Rugby WA President Hans Sauer gave a brilliant speech, outlining the many achievements of WA rugby. The thing he said that particularly sticks in my mind is that the ARU board only has one member who has been involved hands-on in community rugby. The Rugby WA board has five.
Matt Hodgson received a rapturous welcome from the crowd and a big laugh when he said that he’s now unemployed so just a fan like everyone else. Hodgo said he had personally invited Cameron Clyne to come over and explain to the players and members, but been ignored. He then offered to pay Clyne’s airfares.
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Then came Western Australian of the Year, Force foundation member, and Australia’s richest man, Andrew Forrest.
He explained to the Sea of Blue that he didn’t become directly involved in the fight to save the Force earlier because he didn’t think a fair and objective assessment could arrive at a decision to axe the team of third-largest and fastest growing rugby community in the nation.
He decided to weigh in when the Force looked to be heading towards the chop. He said that he’d also invited Clyne to Western Australia.
Forrest repeated his pledge to do whatever it takes to ensure the Force survives, then announced that if the ARU don’t want us in their competition, he’ll set up his own international competition for the Force to play in. The crowd erupted!
Talking to some of the players afterwards, there is a feeling that the ARU can get stuffed. If there is no team for them to play for in this state, many of them are looking at going overseas until a new administration takes over. Although, with the Twiggy competition as a back up to Super Rugby, it looks like they won’t have to.
Should Clyne ever be forced out (pun intended) of the ARU, whoever takes his place is going to have a lot of work to do to win back the trust of the Western Australian rugby community.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Depend whether they're rugby people interested in growing and promoting the game or (w)bankers interested only in money.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
These states will provide the majority of TV viewers, and players. Therefore they will hold the majority of power. Do you think they'll care if WA don't want to go along? Or anybody else for that matter?
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
"And it will rebuild centering around the NSWRU and QRU…" Only if the other states agree to play by the existing rules.
Ben
Guest
You are so detached from your nuerons if you think it couldn't happen
Ex force fan
Guest
Better than having no dream...
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The Foley/Graham Fiasco certainly impacted on numbers but they've started to come back. With the strong performances this year especially in the later halfbof the season we confidently expect even more next year.
Ex force fan
Guest
Mentioned in Hans Sauer's speech as the cost to move from St Leonards to Moore park.
Ex force fan
Guest
Anyone can do much better than these idiots that need a spreadsheet to realise they can only legally sack one team. Anyone can hire a consulting firm to tell them what to do. Anyone can hide like cowards, not explain their decision and refuse to meet the stakeholders when they need to face the music. Anyone can manage an organization into moral and then financial bankruptcy and spend other people's money. This ARU does not deserve any respect - they are overpaid and incompetent. There are many "tackle bag" people that are highly competent, and that served and loved the sport. People like Geoff Stooke, Hans Sauer and Twiggy.
Nobrain
Roar Guru
I do not understand why people are bringing the attendance as an issue to be axed or not. I suppot the Force to stay in SR and I do not think that axing teams was a solution for the problem. It is like playing defence when you should be playing offence. I am not sure that SANZAAR was the one that came up with the axing solution either. SA has dealt much better with the problem imo. Keep on fighting!!!
Mothy
Guest
Matt I can't speak for everyone, but I've only missed 3 home games as a force member. Crowds have been down with a few poor seasons. I think pretty good crowds based on results of those years. Ive been to Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney games and the crowds are no better! In fact I've been surprised considering the history of success of both qld and NSW. The games I've been to are not just vs the Force and were not all this year. So where are these supporters? It isn't just a Force issue!
Ex force fan
Guest
The resignation of the nobodies in the ARU Board will give satsfaction especially Cameron Clyne. The restructuring of the ARU Board will help to prevent this from happening in the future and the ARU can invest to rectify the problem they created by keeping the Force and rugby in WA alive until they can reinstate the Force when the Rebels goes bankrupt.
Ex force fan
Guest
Only those whose tickets are scanned are counted. When the Force started there were just under 40,000 spectators at Subi. Also WA has the 3rd largest registered player base, so the rugby interest is there. WA has been in a recession in the past year and many supporters just cannot afford tickets, others could not attend the games ar the ridiculous times the games were scheduled such as 6pm on a Thursday night. Also as the ARU stacked the cards against the Force, by not funding the Force academy and underfunding the player pool they asked what is the point to support a team that the ARU do not support. The rally has shown that the West support the Force and that it is not only a small focal minority.
Mothy
Guest
He made 442 million today according to news.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Official attendance is generated from the computer scans of tickets. Kids don't need tickets so don't get scanned (unless a sellout is predicted). It's one of the reasons rugby is growing in WA, because dad only has to buy a ticket for himself, not the little ones.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
And it will rebuild centering around the NSWRU and QRU...
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Sometimes the best thing to do is demolish and rebuild. The EARU Board being forced to resign over this issue for many of us will be an end in itself.
piru
Roar Rookie
Surely Forrest would be better off approaching SAANZAR with some form of sponsorship deal contingent on the Force remaining? He has tried to do exactly that - they haven't even bothered to call him back on most occasions. Something fishy is going on
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
They'd be going off the information provided by the venue wouldn't they?
piru
Roar Rookie
I'm sure the venue knows, but I doubt very much the websites everyone loves to pull their stats from has that in depth knowledge. They'd be going off ticket sales, I'm sure
Matt M
Guest
I agreed it should have been the Rebels. As I said above thou, once the Force relinquished their licence their fate was sealed. I don't see any point in the WARU and Mr Forrest going after the ARU thou. Ultimately I doubt they'll achieve anything, the ARU has no money and the decision to allow a fifth Australian team back in needs to come from SAANZAR. Surely Forrest would be better off approaching SAANZAR with some form of sponsorship deal contingent on the Force remaining?