Twiggy "You have to go through me first!"
Twiggy’s warning to the ARU over the Western Force’s future
Nick Taylor
Sunday, 6 August 2017 9:00PM
Western Force billionaire backer Andrew Forrest has threatened the Australian Rugby Union it will have to beat him if it wants to axe the Western Force from Super Rugby.
"I want to be very clear to the ARU,” the mining magnate warned.
“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."
The threat comes as the Victorian Rugby Union confirmed it had taken control of Melbourne Rebels, the other side facing the chop.
The VRU was quietly sold 11,625,000 shares by owner Andrew Cox's Imperium Sports Group on Friday for just $1 despite the ARU claiming it knew nothing about the transfer and that it needed to be told to agree to the move.
Cox says the move has secured the future of the Rebels and the VRU claim it informed the ARU of the proposed process, an option that had been in place for two years.
Meanwhile Forrest, who has thrown his massive financial clout behind the Force, saying he will do whatever it takes to save the club, called ARU chairman Cameron Clyne on Friday.
“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 said.
“The Western Force has heart. It is punching way above its weight. It is producing a crop of Wallabies. It is growing its junior player base. It has the backing of its community.
“How on earth can the ARU even consider causing harm to such a team and indeed to this rugby community?”
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-u...-ng-b88559708z
