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Thread: Force set to be axed

  1. #1
    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
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    Force set to be axed

    AFTER 12 seasons, the Western Force are set to be axed.

    The Daily Telegraph understands that the Force will be the Australian team scrapped should the Super Rugby competition be cut to 15 teams, the model SANZAAR prefers for 2018-19.

    And in a revamped competition, the ARU is planning to take control of the Force roster and tell players contracted beyond this season which rival Australian clubs they’ll join next year.

    The Force’s future hinges on whether South Africa agrees to cut two of their teams, a decision that will be made by April 6 when they have a key meeting.

    All SANZAAR partners have agreed in principal that a more streamlined 15-team competition is needed for next year, and that involves Australia cutting one team and South Africa cutting two.

    All parties are working towards the 15-team concept but have left the possibility open of retaining the current 18-team structure if South Africa suddenly decides it cannot lose two teams.

    Political issues are involved, with the South African government not keen to see the Southern Kings, a side they fought to have in the competition, removed.

    But there seems to be growing belief among the game’s stakeholders that a 15-team model can be made for next year, and that would mean the Perth franchise being removed.

    As part of the overhaul, contracted Force players would have any remaining years of their deals honoured by the ARU.

    But as part of this, the ARU wants to dictate where those players go next, rather than having a large chunk of Force players opting for the Waratahs or Reds because they’d rather live in Sydney or Brisbane.

    The abolition of the Force would be an exercise in strengthening the other teams who were considered for axing; the Melbourne Rebels and Brumbies.

    The Telegraph understands that while star Wallaby players like Dane Haylett-Petty and Adam Coleman will be given more flexibility by the ARU in where they want to play, non-Wallaby players will essentially be reassigned clubs by the national body.

    The ARU would not comment for this story. They have their hands tied because South Africa has yet to confirm they’ll cut two teams.

    If the South Africans don’t cut the required teams, Super Rugby will remain an 18-team tournament next year and the ARU would be left embarrassed by having declared they were willing to lose a team.

    However, it’s understood that the ARU’s decision to axe the Force in a revamped competition has been made.

    The Rebels are privately owned and the ARU fear a legal backlash by owner Andrew Cox should they attempt to remove them.

    The Brumbies are Australia’s most successful franchise and leading the local conference, while they have powerful backers.

    NSW and Queensland produce the bulk of Australia’s players and have never been in danger.

    The ARU took over running of the Force last year, due to serious financial issues.

    The Force launched a new ownership campaign last week, urging fans to pay $1000 each to own 10,000 shares in the newly public Western Force Owners Pty Ltd company. Buyers will be refunded if the franchise folds.

    The Force, formed in 2005, entered Super Rugby in 2006 but have never made the finals. They have finished in the bottom three of the competition in six of their 11 seasons.

    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/western-force/western-force-set-to-be-axed-from-competition-in-super-rugby-revamp/news-story/ca4c6d13a93022cc45c43da44119dd8d

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  2. #2
    Champion MI5_Dog's Avatar
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    I doubt that the ARU can dictate which team a play 'must' join. Restriction of trade and all that.

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    Champion Contributor sandgroperrugby's Avatar
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    Major sabotage of the Own the Force Campaign.

    I am getting a bit over this. Do the powers that be not realise that this is eroding the supporter base. If this article is truthful then I will be done with super rugby and save myself a fortune in Foxtel subscription fees. Frustrated. Annoyed.

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

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    Veteran chibi's Avatar
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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?

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    Devastated if this is true. How short- sighted can the ARU be! The Force have done more to create a pathway for local players than either the Rebels or Brumbies. At the moment I feel like I will never support Rugby again!

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    Veteran chibi's Avatar
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    Still reckon they should try the 3-conference system first.

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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?

  7. #7
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    If this is fact I'm heartbroken..

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    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
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    The Australian now running with the story:

    The crippling SANZAAR crisis over the size and composition of Super Rugby is expected to be resolved within days, and the news isn’t good for the Western Force.

    Although the Australian Rugby Union hasn’t made a definitive call – and won’t until it is confirmed that the Super Rugby competition next year will be reduced from the existing 18 teams to 15 – the Force is believed to have been earmarked to be culled.

    The Brumbies are not yet entirely out of the woods but sources have indicated the Force is the most likely to be axed.

    Both SANZAAR and the Australian Rugby Union told The Australian today they expect an announcement “within a couple of weeks” but it is understood a press conference could be staged in Sydney as early as next week.

    There is still lots of ground to be covered, however, starting with the broadcasters from the four SANZAAR joint venture countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina. It is understood they initially were prepared to consider a reduction in the size of the competition down to 15 but only if it involved dropping the Jaguares of Argentina and the Sunwolves of Japan. Presumably the Southern Kings of South Africa would also be culled on a “last in, first out” basis.

    The next sticking point revolves around whether compensation will be paid if broadcasters have less content to put to air but the ARU has made it known that it still wants the same money if the competition is reduced in size.

    Any talk of broadcasters being compensated is regarded as a deal- breaker, in which case Super Rugby would continue as an 18-team series. But if, as sources say, broadcasters are now close to an agreement then it raises a whole host of issues.

    The continuing rumour is that SANZAAR is determined to push ahead with a 15-team competition but with one Australian and two South African teams to be culled.

    Yet even that has been called into question with a weekend report from a South African website, Sport24, quoting SA Rugby president Mark Alexander that a lot of water had to flow under the bridge before that would happen. But the report also contained some serious factual errors. It indicated that Price Waterhouse Cooper had presented its finding on Super Rugby to the recent SANZAAR crisis meeting London when, in fact, it was Accenture. It also claimed the initial decision about how would make up Super Rugby would be made at the next scheduled SANZAAR board meeting in Japan on May 11-12.

    But SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos told The Australian today that by that stage the Japan meeting would have moved on to discussing future strategy. In other words, the tough decisions would already have been made.

    “That’s not the content we’re going to be discussing,” said Marinos, who indicated that the call would be made within a couple of weeks.


    Yet the situation is nothing short of chaotic. Although the expectation is that some details will crystalize in the coming days, even the ARU board has not heard the final arguments. A phone hook-up of board members is scheduled for early next week but such is the magnitude of what is being discussed – the very survival of one of the Super Rugby clubs – that nothing less than a vote while seated around the table will satisfy some directors. Nor is there any guarantee that whatever recommendation ARU chief executive Bill Pulver makes will be accepted by the board.

    Another factor is that the South African Rugby Union’s general assembly is not scheduled to meet until April 6 and the ARU is hardly likely to take any independent action until it hears from the joint venture partner that effectively holds the fate of Super Rugby in its hands.

    It is believed that the ARU’s “war gaming” of the crisis has reduced the number of potential victims from three to two, with the Melbourne Rebels seemingly in the clear.

    The Victoria Government has already made its position clear, suggesting that funding set aside in the state budget for the construction of a Rugby centre of excellence at one of Melbourne’s universities might be jeopardised if the Rebels are culled, along with planned Bledisloe Cup Tests.

    But now the $5 million paid for the 2019 Bledisloe Test in Perth could also be threatened if the Force is removed from the competition. Given that the WA Government assisted with a $2 million establishment grant when the Force was set up in 2006 – repaid within two years – and then helped with the construction of their headquarters and the refurbishment of their playing ground at nib Stadium, the repercussions of axing the club could be horrendous.

    But if the axe does fall, the kindest method might be to merge the Canberra-based Brumbies with the Rebels to form the Melbourne Brumbies, whose home games would be played primarily at AAMI Park but with a few at Canberra’s GIO Stadium. And with Steve Larkham in his last season with the Brumbies before joining the Wallabies coaching staff fulltime, it would also solve the problem of finding them a coach, with the Rebels’ Tony McGahan taking on the merged club.

    Meanwhile, despite so much discussion of Australia joining with New Zealand to form a trans-Tasman competition – with South Africa cut loose to join the European competition – the ARU is planning to conduct no market research on this weekend’s round six of Super Rugby, when the Rebels, Force, Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs will each play a Kiwi team.

    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/western-force-earmarked-as-team-to-be-axed-from-super-rugby/news-story/5cf97a9b0c50ec92a51c05fc74c4fe79

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    Last edited by jargan83; 27-03-17 at 18:17.

  9. #9
    Immortal Contributor jono's Avatar
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    This'll kill rugby in WA if they do it. And be the biggest sporting betrayal australia has seen

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    I have sent an email to the ARU. I had to do something! 😳

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  11. #11
    Immortal Contributor jono's Avatar
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    The board of the ARU have gotta go if this is true.
    Their major reason to exist is to grow the game in Australia. If they cut the force their failing and should resign

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  12. #12
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    Instead of fucken whinging about it how about getting off our collective behinds and bombarding the ARU and the media with some serious concerns and dislikes and disrupting everything those useless dicks throw out. Bugger me its time to throw up some serious protest either at our home game or elsewhere.

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    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
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    Just saw on Channel 9 news that Mark Sinderberry is set to address the media tomorrow.

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    Maybe its time the players and their union stood up as well strike from this weekend and refuse to take the field. time to stand up and serve it up to these useless administrators fucking with our game. I'm ready to help the boys. Who else?

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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jules View Post
    I have sent an email to the ARU. I had to do something! 😳
    I have as well. I told them I would not follow Rugby if this is true. Tomorrow I will send an email to the WA Sports Minister. This decision will cost the State in tourism money. Suggest everyone contacts the ARU and Sports minister as well. Perhaps we can hold a rally before/after the next home game!

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