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Thread: Force set to be axed

  1. #346
    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    What a crock. The part about us - and I do mean US - having to cough up $4.75 million to by a licence off The bloody Rabble. We have a licence. If Cox is bleeding THAT badly - and he is - let him cut his own losses. Or better still, let the ARU cough it up for being stupid enough and greedy enough to grant the Vics a licence in the first place. No way should supporters hard earned have to be used to make up his losses. That would put us right back behind the eight ball. Dead set!

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    "The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David


  2. #347
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    ARU bows to NZ pressure to cut Super Rugby franchise

    Australia has again been revealed as the weak link in the SANZAAR relationship by bowing to pressure from several areas, including New Zealand, and agreeing to hand back one of its Super Rugby licences while getting nothing in return.

    The Australian playing ranks were deeply angered when it was revealed the Super Rugby tournament would be cut back to a 15-team tournament next year and an Australian province -- almost certainly the Western Force -- would be axed.

    The players will be furious to discover also that the Australian broadcaster -- Fox Sports -- told the ARU in recent days that its preferred position was the retention of the five Australian teams, including the Force, especially as Perth matches rated well on the pay-TV channel.

    An emotional Matt Hodgson has fought back tears after learning his Western Force now face the stark reality of possibly being dumped out of the Super Rugby competition.
    ESPN has been told by several high-ranking sources that Fox Sports executives were eager for a Super 15 format that excluded the three latest additions to the tournament -- the Jaguares, Sunwolves and Southern Kings. Fox Sports' preference is understood to be a competition involving five teams each from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. However, Fox Sports was told by ARU officials that "pressure had been applied" to get rid of one of their Australian teams. So Fox Sports relented, opting 'to fall into line'.

    Leading the anti-Australian charge were the ARU's New Zealand SANZAAR counterparts.

    SANZAAR sources have confirmed to ESPN that New Zealand and its broadcaster, Sky Sport, were particularly aggressive in pushing the point that Australia had no option but to get rid of at least one franchise if South Africa were to lose two teams. There was no sympathy shown by New Zealand towards Australia's situation -- while there was little interest displayed about a possible alternative home-and-away series involving trans-Tasman rivals.

    Then again, the relationship between New Zealand and Australian officials has been dreadful for some time. The New Zealand Rugby Union in particular lack respect for ARU chief executive Bill Pulver. One source told ESPN: "Kiwi officials looked upon this Super 15 issue as a chance to really put their foot on the throat of the ARU by demanding they get rid of one team. They simply don't rate the Australian administrators, were extremely belligerent about the whole situation, and ran over the top of the ARU. Sky New Zealand is the winner out of all of this."

    Despite only being in SANZAAR for a few years, Argentina, through influential World Rugby vice-chairman Agustin Pichot, has also quickly become more powerful than Australia, which has seen the retention of the erratic Jaguares in the revamped competition. Western Force officials are already resigned to their franchise not being part of the competition next year despite having their own representative, Geoff Stooke, on the ARU board, but they are hoping for a stay of execution, pushing for a 'process' to be instituted by the ARU in determining which team goes.

    The Force's cause was not helped by an influential ARU official telling colleagues only a few days ago that the Brumbies were 'safe', while the ARU is believed to be deeply concerned about the potential for expensive legal action if it axes the privately owned Rebels. The Rebels' private owners hold a substantial amount of power through the licence, and the ARU officials, considering they constantly mention their difficult financial position, are highly unlikely to take on the Melbourne franchise. The Waratahs and Reds -- Australia's two biggest provinces -- are safe.

    ESPN has also been told there is division on the ARU Board over which team should be axed. It doesn't just involve Stooke, who has a long affiliation with the Force dating back to the controversial Firepower days, and who has been pushing hard for the retention of the Perth franchise. At a recent ARU meeting, several board members were astounded that a high-profile director abstained when a vote was taken on which team should go.

    http://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_...ugby-franchise

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  3. #348
    Immortal Contributor jono's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by maelkann View Post
    'joint second place'? Alright then buddy....
    Yeah I read that too. Dickhead...

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  4. #349
    Veteran chibi's Avatar
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    I don't get this. Going with a 3-conference system would have worked with 18 anyway.

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    Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!

    Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?

  5. #350
    Champion Contributor sandgroperrugby's Avatar
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    Looking back through the journalists comments and articles they seem like they are the secretaries for the ARU board. What a leaky bunch they are and the rest of the rugby clubs and public should look at all statements made by Pulver as being suspect. Multiple people on that board are leaking information to their friends and or media which is just disgraceful.

    I view the ARU buying the Force license as duplicitous, this measure had never before been placed on any other team being bailed out in the past. Looking back did we put our head in the noose with a smiling assassin.

    Even though the kings and the cheetahs are most likely to go at least the SARU board have made some semblance of parity in their selection process.

    I am gutted at how this process has transpired in Australia with all the decisions having been made months ago and the ARU administration being to gutless to put a plan or statement together.

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    Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!

  6. #351
    Senior Player Muddly's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Leo86;426187]Apologies Muddly how i wish i followed your lead

    No Apologies needed mate. A sad day for rugby and a great way to sour a 100% home win rate!

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  7. #352
    Legend Contributor blueandblack's Avatar
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    https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-u...-ng-b88441550z

    "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."

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    "12 Years a Supporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue

  8. #353
    Legend Contributor Alison's Avatar
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    That's us Jo and Jerry :-))

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    Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby

  9. #354
    (Previously WFDS) WFDom's Avatar
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    ARU news conference on Fox Channel 500 at 07:30

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    Great game, Fucken battled right through to the 80!

  10. #355
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  11. #356
    Champion Tonkar's Avatar
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    WHAT A LOAD OF CROAK.. THEY HAVE MADE UP THEIR MIND.. THE ARU ARE A DISGRACE .. 4 TEAMSS HAVE HAD FINANCIAL ASSITSANCE AND 1 HAS NOT LOL RUGBY WILL DIE A SLOW DEATH WITH IDIOTS LIKE THIS AT THE TOP...

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  12. #357
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    Key Points:

    Only Rebels and Force under threat
    Must present cases to survive based on financials
    Pulver cant read a Conference Table ( Bottom teams)
    Phil Waugh is a wanker.

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  13. #358
    Legend Contributor brokendown gunfighter's Avatar
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    pulver just called the Force a bottom team.Er Bill,we are 2nd in the conference!

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  14. #359
    (Previously WFDS) WFDom's Avatar
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    Decision to be made by the end of the week.

    Lot of talk about finanacial drain & being able to put money back in to grass roots

    Phil Waugh was chipping in in the FS studio.... total prick

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    Great game, Fucken battled right through to the 80!

  15. #360
    Champion Contributor sandgroperrugby's Avatar
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    Respect to nick mcardle for asking the questions and for reiterating them when they were avoided.

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    Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!

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