The Australian Rugby Union are refusing to budge on their decision to axe the Western Force, but have agreed to help billionaire Andrew Forrest develop a new international competition.
Forrest met with ARU officials in Adelaide on Tuesday in a bid to get them to overturn their decision to axe the Force.
The chairman of Fortescue Metals claims he made an “unprecedented financial offer” to ensure the future of rugby as a national sport and to guarantee the future of the Force.
But his “unconditional guarantee” that there would be no financial risk to the ARU if it was to retain the Force in Super Rugby fell on deaf ears.
ARU chairman Cameron Clyne, and board members John Eales and Brett Robinson represented Australian rugby’s governing body at the meeting.
Former Wallaby John Welborn and former ARU board member Geoff Stooke were at the meeting to help Forrest push his case.
But while the ARU didn’t budge when it came to their Super Rugby decision, they are apparently willing to help Forrest create an Asian rugby competition for the Force to participate in.
Representatives of Forrest released a statement saying: “The ARU committed to working with the Western Force … to develop a new international competition.
“This will be based in Western Australia, with a focus firmly on the Indo Pacific region and a time zone that WA shares.
“This is a region containing 60 per cent of the world’s population, which has a burgeoning appetite for participation in international sport.”
The Force’s preference is to stay in Super ranks.
Force chief executive Mark Sinderberry believes this will be the best way to help Australian rugby dig itself out of its current hole.
RugbyWA, backed by Forrest, are appealing the Force’s axing to the NSW Supreme Court.
They will find out on Wednesday whether their appeal will go ahead.
It’s unclear how much money Forrest offered to the ARU on Tuesday.
But the ARU said their hands were simply tied after SANZAAR had already eliminated the prospect of having a 16-team Super competition for a number of reasons.
“These factors included the extensive cost and limited appeal of a 16-team round-robin competition, player welfare issues due to extra travel requirements, and the loss of popular home and away ‘derbies’ in each country,” Clyne said.
“We were genuinely appreciative of Andrew’s generous offer to back the Western Force and Australian Rugby.
“However, given the position we are in, we are unable to work towards retaining five teams in Super Rugby.
“Andrew brings a lot of innovative thinking to the table and we discussed a number of possibilities for the future of the game.
“Some of this discussion focused on competitions and the pathways for young players to the highest levels of the game, the community game and women’s rugby.”
It’s understood that during the meeting, the ARU confirmed the future participation of WA rugby teams in an expanded National Rugby Championships competition.
Western Australian Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds says she will call for a Senate Inquiry into the ARU’s decision to cull the Western Force.
And the WA State Government has threatened to sue the ARU for more than $100 million as compensation for all the money they poured into redeveloping nib Stadium and building the Force’s headquarters.
cuw
Guest
it shud be SANZJAAR :)
BeastieBoy
Guest
Keep the ARU well away from any new competition if you don't want to stuff it up. have separate management like we need for our domestic competitions.
Damo
Guest
Its a pity its dying in Australia
cuw
Guest
dude , the British introduced rugger to Sri Lanka along with cricket . the history goes back to the early 1900s. however the IRB numbers are rubbish. there are only 8 club level teams and around 20 schools who play clubs - Army , Navy, Air Force, Police, CF&FC, CH&FC, Havelocks RFC, Kandy RFC. leading schools - Royal , Trinity , St. Thomas , St. Josephs , St. Peters ,Isipathana , Wesley , Kingswood , St. Anthonys , Dharmaraja . at the end of the day the size matters and SL does not have the size to play with big boys. since they restructured asian tournament SL play in division one with Malaysia Philippines and UAE. maybe around 2014 we used to play with even Japan and Korea - and get hammered ....
cuw
Guest
interesting the current Asian divisions in tournaments is as follows Tri Nations : Hong Kong , Japan , South Korea Division 1 : Malaysia , Philippines , Sri Lanka , United Arab Emirates Division 2 : Chinese , Taipei , India , Singapore , Thailand as far as i know China is not playing with the asians ; i know they played a while back but cant remember exactly when they stopped playing in asian championship. current div i champs are Malaysia. Japan are Asian champs and have been for a while now.
tc
Guest
Not from what I was hearing and reading
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Federal court does not hear appeals from the NSW Court of Appeal. Federal is a different jurisdiction. It goes straight to the High Court of Australia if permitted. Appeals against decisions of the Court of Appeal are made to the High Court of Australia in matters of public or general importance. However, before the appeal can progress, the applicant must first obtain the High Court's leave to proceed. http://www.supremecourt.justice.nsw.gov.au/Pages/sco2_aboutus/sco2_courtofappeal.aspx
Ryan
Guest
If the backer was serious he should offer to pay the airfares for the NZ ITM a up teams to travel to OZ they may just get some ground support to join the NPC. It's money after all that is the main obstacle not to mention thousands of staunchly proud NZ Provincial rugby fans.
Ryan
Guest
As long as players were playing for a team based in New Zealand and they were good enough there's absolutely nothing stopping the All Blacks selecting players from another competition.
Ryan
Guest
You have a very warped view of NZ rugby because from all the Kiwi feedback I have seen it was almost unanimous one Australian side had to and must go. Sure you might find a kiwi or two who are disappointed for the force but no matter who was cut people would get upset. But let's stick to,the facts the majority of Kiwi fans wanted an Australian team gone as we know Australia was a far better rugby nation when they had less teams.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Who would play in an Asian League - would they be hybrid teams - would the money on offer be good enough to lure Aussies out of Europe? It's a great start and I hope that Mr Forrest sticks with it, because I can see an overhaul of SH Rugby coming, and hopefully a full clean-out of the ARU. If the money on offer is good enough, it will take Eastern States players out of the traditional avenues, and seriously unsettle the boys club that is the ARU. Hopefully, it would be set up with a properly professional structure and with people who know what they are doing, from the top down. Force would then need to reconcile how you can have a pro-league and still live up to their mantra of grassroots developments. Interesting times coming, hopefully
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Supreme Court, Appeals Court, Federal Court, High Court. All with QCs and numerous junior counsel costing zillions. and if that still doesn't work there are further actions lined up and ready to go. Possible outcomes: * Rugby WA wins. EARU has to find another solution to their self-imposed problem. * EARU wins, Rugby WA appeals, and appeals and appeals. EARU goes broke.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Without the Force you and the many other expats from both NZ and SA would never get to see your team. That alone is reason to support the Force.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Putting and East coast based team in a pacific league would have been the logical thing for the EARU to do.
piru
Roar Rookie
mate I don't expect top level players will hang about if we end playing in Asia, the point would be though that the systems and facilities are all still there till we can go back up again.
Ex force fan
Guest
Yeah, the NSW Supreme Court action is still on and hopefully the judge get it right and the arbitrator wrong. Struggle to see the players stick around for an Asian competition - not thrive it is survive!
Jumbo
Guest
After finally retiring after 10 years of club rugby in perth, I followed my uncle into the local club scene, he played in the 90's. I will honestly say we as in kiwi expats never felt any connection to the force. We played rugby for the love of the game and the force are like a business to us, they were imports or guys we didn't know personally. I am still a chiefs supporter and so are my kids, who play locally. We only go to games when the kiwi teams are in town, because they've got the stars and we feel connected because we're from the small town a couple of their players are from, we know the families. I know many of my fellow expats are the same regarding their team, maybe the money will be better spent on facilities for club rugby.
piru
Roar Rookie
Piru, I would rather watch AFL. Wash your mouth out! Rugby is not done in WA, this isn't plan A, granted - but if it keeps the Force alive and kicking until super rugby dissolves in 2020, then it's worth the effort. We just won the right to appeal, so may end up not going anywhere anyway.
Bakkies
Guest
Federal Court surely before the High Court.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
If it doesn't there's always the appeals court then the High Court.