Rugby boss impressed with Force initiatives

[volvo]

Nick Taylor - The West Australian on December 8, 2016, 11:14 am

Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver says the Super Rugby tournament format will not be changed for change’s sake.

The competition is under review by governing body SANZAAR amid speculation that the Western Force could be cut after the 2017 season if the ARU is forced to cull one of its five sides.

But Pulver gave some reassurance to the Force yesterday, saying: “Unless you can change the competition in a material way to improve it, we won’t change it at all”.

Pulver was in Perth to announce the Bledisloe Cup Test between the Wallabies and All Blacks that will be played at the new Perth Stadium in August 2019, the first time the southern hemisphere heavyweights have met in WA.

He Said bringing the match to Perth reflected well on the Force, who had launched a campaign to become Australia’s premier publicly owned club, and supporters who had launched an online petition. “There have been some wonderful initiatives that are community based,” he said. “As somebody who represents the governing body I can tell you they matter.

“The initiatives that have been undertaken here really count.

“Any initiative which reflects the popularity of our game in this State is going to be a positive. I give great credit to the rugby fans in WA. They have stood up and made sure they have been heard over the last couple of months and that matters.”


SANZAAR made no recommendations on change after its meeting last month and will meet again early next year.

“We’ve obviously got a couple of months to work through it at SANZAAR level,” Pulver said.



“We want to take the time to get that decision right. That’s why we are going to reconvene at the end of February, to try to review what that competition structure should look like.



“There’s a lot of work to be done, and no outcomes at this point.”


The West Australian
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...iatives/#page1