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Nick Taylor
The Super Rugby saga took another twist yesterday when it emerged Melbourne Rebels owner Andrew Cox had offered to sell his Super Rugby licence back to the Australian Rugby Union.
Governing body SANZAAR yesterday confirmed the competition would be cut from 18 to 15 sides from next year, with one Australian team to be axed along with two South African clubs.
The Western Force, who have never played finals since joining the competition in 2006, have been touted as favourites for the chop, while the ACT Brumbies have been told they are safe and the future of the Rebels is unclear.
The ARU has scheduled a media conference this morning, but it is understood it won’t name which team will be cut.
Newscorp reported that although the ARU would give the Force and the Rebels a chance to state their cases for a stay of execution, it had already drawn up plans to cull the Force. Newscorp said the Force would learn their fate by the end of the week.
It is understood New Zealander Cox has asked for $4.75 million to hand over all rights of the struggling Melbourne club.
Cox does not have to open the club books because of his private ownership but insiders say he is facing a $2 million loss this year. It is not known how much longer he is prepared to take a financial hit.
The Rebels have bled $20 million from the ARU in the six years since their foundation.
More here
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-u...-ng-b88441550z
Please let this be true! Phil Waugh said it would be the force on Fox :-(
This is our biggest chance of surviving, the choice is now between a team owner prepared to go and a team desperate to stay.
Let's hope that comparison carries the day!
Can we buy the license directly off the Rebels then?
Our grassroots rugby is strong and well developed, we have fanatic players coming through the ranks which benefits all the teams. Surely just basing it on purely financial is shortsighted. Also if the force start winning games and playing exciting rugby we would fill NIB. The force has so much more potential in my opinion.
On all points that Pulver stated, the Force meet all the criteria, growing the game, player development, more crowd nos than Rebels. These are already being done by the Force as opposed to 'what have the Rebels achieved?' Somebody please slap Waugh, his biggest argument is that Melbourne is a bigger city, which apparently justifies the Rebels.
In addition if Tony Cox is desperate to get out of the deal now, it doesn't say a lot for the Rebels done the track!
Have just emailed the ARU again
Their choice is clear; a team with an administration desperate to stay versus an administration happy to leave; a team that has made great strides in developing local talent v one that hasn't been able to do it; a team now financially viable versus one projecting another big loss this year.
As much as I don't want any Australian team cut, if one is to go, it would be madness for it to be the Force, rather than the Rebels.
Melbourne gives precisely zero f$cks about any form of Rugby in their town.
The storm have been in existence for almost 20 years, started off with the largesse of Murdoch. They've consistently played finals footy, won a couple of premierships and are pretty much impregnable at home. Yet they get zero time in media and would be lucky to get 10K at their games. It's hard to know what else the storm could do to become more accepted by Melbourne. Rebels are well behind storm in every metric.
another stupid idea #564 by the ARU to even consider that the Force should go down before the Rebels.
Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate
Is there any fan fightback from the rebels fans? Do they have a forum? Thinking about the criteria surely brumbies has the least growth potential so sounds like a load of BS to me..
You must be kidding. We have a licence - held over our heads by a duplicitous ARU. They and Cox have to take the financial hit on the Rabble losses. I, for one, am not willing to buy a share of the $4.75 mil Rabble licence with my $1000. That would only put us back behind the financial 8-ball. What we should be prepared to do is buy back OUR licence with what it cost the ARU to buy last year, while they and Cox work out a deal for them to buy his licence. We need clarity from Rugby WA that paying the full $4.75 will not be the case. So come on General, Hansie, Messers Sinderberry and Stooke. Get out there (or here) and TALK TO US.
Unfortunately, after the underhanded way the ESRU got control of the Force, I would not be surprised if their plan is to cut us then wait for the Rabble to fall over all by themselves. Wouldn't be surprised Charles Ponzi is their financial adviser.
Last edited by shasta; 10-04-17 at 09:14.
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