ARU opens door to helping hand from Twiggy Forrest - (Maybe?)

[GIGS20]

I think one big answer would be in having a professional league to be a part of.

Fiji Samoa and Tonga all have heaps of players who compete quite nicely thank you very much at the International level, the problem is, most of then=m are either playing for European clubs (and therefore have limited availability for national representation) or they play in NZ and Australia, represent the Wallabies or All Blacks for a couple of times and never able to turn out for their home union.

The presence of some broadcasting revenue heading towards these unions would open up the ability for some of their stars to return home, this would then build a pathway for the youth to dream about making enough to support their family without having to leave home.

Obviously teams like Malaysia and Sri Lanka don't currently have individuals at such a level, but their participation in a Professional league, alongside some marquee players of the right standard is likely to bring them on quickly.

I'm not saying the Force will save the world with such an initiative, but I am saying the Force would be the ONLY ORGANISATION IN THE WORLD actually looking at improving Pacific Island and South East Asian rugby, That is, at least, better than ripping any talented player out of his home to use him for his productive years and then send him back when you're finished with him.

Seems like a pretty good deal to me!

[#10]

Old news but i liked the bit about Clyne ' . . . threatening to sue if Forrest went public with his letter.' Twiggy must have really felt intimidated.

https://t.co/F5dlyfWoZt

[sittingbison]

Clyne's response was once again dismissive, threatening to sue if Forrest went public with his letter. It's no surprise that the letter immediately surfaced.

lol this bits even better

[shasta]

Old news but i liked the bit about Clyne ' . . . threatening to sue if Forrest went public with his letter.'

[travelling_gerry]

You can vote for Twiggy as ARU volunteer of the year!

https://form.jotform.co/71367361327861

[shasta]

You can vote for Twiggy as ARU volunteer of the year!

https://form.jotform.co/71367361327861

That must be a scam website. It lists among the ARU's core values, integrity, respect and teamwork. Gimme a break!

[chrisk]

Alternatively if you want to start a new competition from scratch, Hong Kong and Korea are a long way behind Japan but easily the next best in the region. The game is also huge in Sri Lanka, and it has a presence in countries like Malaysia and Singapore etc. but their standard is below anything that would be attractive to a fully professional side (see Malaysia's recent WA tour). In that case is such a competition even viable?

I don't have the answers to these questions

I think what's missing for these countries to develop is a centre of excellence, which is something we can contribute to the competition. I was amazed at the number of players in Malaysia, we just need to bring them up to speed. We might have to share some of our facilities here in Perth, as well as ideas for the betterment of the competition. The development could all happen pretty quickly, and a two tier competition would be the way to go. I'm sure would have the blessing of the IRB and the broadcasters should be falling over themselves over this one. Also we have direct flights to Dubai, I believe there could be interest and support if we involved the UAE in this.

[BLR]

I think what's missing for these countries to develop is a centre of excellence, which is something we can contribute to the competition. I was amazed at the number of players in Malaysia, we just need to bring them up to speed. We might have to share some of our facilities here in Perth, as well as ideas for the betterment of the competition. The development could all happen pretty quickly, and a two tier competition would be the way to go. I'm sure would have the blessing of the IRB and the broadcasters should be falling over themselves over this one. Also we have direct flights to Dubai, I believe there could be interest and support if we involved the UAE in this.

World Rugby gave the ARU money to add Fiji into the NRC, I wonder what funding they would give if we were providing professional development for several countries?

[Tonkar]

Malaysia has 41000 registered players in all grades.. They also have some great stadiums

[jargan83]

ARU boss Bill Pulver has confirmed billionaire Andrew Forrest pledged to tip between “10 and 50 million dollars” into rugby to save the Western Force but the offer came too late for the ARU to change its mind on cutting a team.

Forrest met with ARU chairman Cameron Clyne and directors John Eales and Brett Robinson in Adelaide last week and, as part of his campaign to save the Force from getting axed, the mining magnate offered to tip a sum reported to be around $50 million into Australian rugby if the WA club was secured.

The offer was declined by the ARU and a subsequent appeal by WA Rugby against the Force’s axing was heard in the NSW Supreme Court. A decision is expected late this week or early next week.

Speaking at the launch of the NRC in Sydney, Pulver confirmed the figures around Forrest’s offer and indicated the ARU may have been more receptive if it didn’t come at the 11th-hour.

“We are delighted to see Australians like Andrew Forrest get involved in the game and potentially support the game. I wish he had been involved in the process a little earlier, that would have been helpful,” Pulver said.

“I wasn’t in that particular meeting and I understand a range of 10-50 million dollars was tabled in relation to investment in the Australian Rugby Foundation. Right now, we need support for Super Rugby, so that’s our priority.”

The Australian Rugby Foundation is rugby’s fundraising arm.

Forrest has previously offered to underwrite the Force’s losses, but the terms, conditions and exact amounts of Forrest’s entire offer remain unclear.

But asked why Australian rugby wouldn’t jump at a potentially huge $50 million investment, Pulver reiterated “timing” was a major issue.

“We are way down the track. It is sitting here about five months from kick-off in the Super Rugby competition, and we are well down the track in terms of having made commitments to SANZAAR to go to four teams. And having had an EGM where our members voted to go to four teams,” Pulver said.

“It is a little late in the process to be making that sort of change.”

Last week Clyne said in a statement the ARU had been asked by Forrest about retaining the Force in a 16-team competition.

“However a 16-team competition was eliminated by SANZAAR during its review process based on a number of factors. These factors included the extensive cost and limited appeal of a 16-team round-robin competition, player welfare issues due to extra travel requirements, and the loss of popular home and away ‘derbies’ in each country,” Clyne said.

Bill Pulver is expected to hand over his job before Christmas.


The outcome of WA Rugby’s appeal will now dictate everything. If the ARU lose, they’ll have to return to SANZAAR and say they couldn’t cut a team and presumably one of the back-up plans will be returning to a 16-team competition - presumably without Forrest’s money.

Pulver declined to reveal what the ARU’s “plan B” was, or if it had one.

“We will deal with that when we get to it. Basically we will find out next week ​what the result of the appeal is and we will respond to that,” he said.

Pulver said he expected Western Force fans to “sidle up” to him next week and relay their thoughts on the decision, and he backed the movement to wear blue jerseys to the Wallabies Test against South Africa on Saturday week.

“I am delighted to see the rugby fans in WA supporting their team,” he said.

“Unfortunately it is the right thing for Australian rugby to go to four teams. If you looked at the Super Rugby season we just finished we were 0-27 against New Zealand teams. From a player depth perspective we are not adequate and from a financial perspective we don’t have the resources to get there.

“So it is the right decision unfortunately and I feel very sorry for those Western Force.”

Pulver said he backed the idea of keeping the Perth Spirit in the NRC into the future even if the Force are folded up.

“I absolutely do. We really want to make sure there is the appropriate player development pathway in every corner of the country, including WA. My own personal view is that an NRC team is a very important part of that pathway,” Pulver said.

The ARU have appointed a recruitment agency to find Pulver’s replacement and the outgoing CEO expects to hand over the job “before Christmas”.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/b...15a00285054391

[Jules]

What a tosser! God I hope we win that appeal

[Wickerman]

ARU boss Bill Pulver has confirmed billionaire Andrew Forrest pledged to tip between “10 and 50 million dollars” into rugby to save the Western Force but the offer came too late for the ARU to change its mind on cutting a team.

Forrest met with ARU chairman Cameron Clyne and directors John Eales and Brett Robinson in Adelaide last week and, as part of his campaign to save the Force from getting axed, the mining magnate offered to tip a sum reported to be around $50 million into Australian rugby if the WA club was secured.

The offer was declined by the ARU and a subsequent appeal by WA Rugby against the Force’s axing was heard in the NSW Supreme Court. A decision is expected late this week or early next week.

Speaking at the launch of the NRC in Sydney, Pulver confirmed the figures around Forrest’s offer and indicated the ARU may have been more receptive if it didn’t come at the 11th-hour.

“We are delighted to see Australians like Andrew Forrest get involved in the game and potentially support the game. I wish he had been involved in the process a little earlier, that would have been helpful,” Pulver said.

“I wasn’t in that particular meeting and I understand a range of 10-50 million dollars was tabled in relation to investment in the Australian Rugby Foundation. Right now, we need support for Super Rugby, so that’s our priority.”

The Australian Rugby Foundation is rugby’s fundraising arm.

Forrest has previously offered to underwrite the Force’s losses, but the terms, conditions and exact amounts of Forrest’s entire offer remain unclear.

But asked why Australian rugby wouldn’t jump at a potentially huge $50 million investment, Pulver reiterated “timing” was a major issue.

“We are way down the track. It is sitting here about five months from kick-off in the Super Rugby competition, and we are well down the track in terms of having made commitments to SANZAAR to go to four teams. And having had an EGM where our members voted to go to four teams,” Pulver said.

“It is a little late in the process to be making that sort of change.”

Last week Clyne said in a statement the ARU had been asked by Forrest about retaining the Force in a 16-team competition.

“However a 16-team competition was eliminated by SANZAAR during its review process based on a number of factors. These factors included the extensive cost and limited appeal of a 16-team round-robin competition, player welfare issues due to extra travel requirements, and the loss of popular home and away ‘derbies’ in each country,” Clyne said.

Bill Pulver is expected to hand over his job before Christmas.


The outcome of WA Rugby’s appeal will now dictate everything. If the ARU lose, they’ll have to return to SANZAAR and say they couldn’t cut a team and presumably one of the back-up plans will be returning to a 16-team competition - presumably without Forrest’s money.

Pulver declined to reveal what the ARU’s “plan B” was, or if it had one.

“We will deal with that when we get to it. Basically we will find out next week ​what the result of the appeal is and we will respond to that,” he said.

Pulver said he expected Western Force fans to “sidle up” to him next week and relay their thoughts on the decision, and he backed the movement to wear blue jerseys to the Wallabies Test against South Africa on Saturday week.

“I am delighted to see the rugby fans in WA supporting their team,” he said.

“Unfortunately it is the right thing for Australian rugby to go to four teams. If you looked at the Super Rugby season we just finished we were 0-27 against New Zealand teams. From a player depth perspective we are not adequate and from a financial perspective we don’t have the resources to get there.

“So it is the right decision unfortunately and I feel very sorry for those Western Force.”

Pulver said he backed the idea of keeping the Perth Spirit in the NRC into the future even if the Force are folded up.

“I absolutely do. We really want to make sure there is the appropriate player development pathway in every corner of the country, including WA. My own personal view is that an NRC team is a very important part of that pathway,” Pulver said.

The ARU have appointed a recruitment agency to find Pulver’s replacement and the outgoing CEO expects to hand over the job “before Christmas”.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/b...15a00285054391

Thought the requirement to cut a team was to divert the money to grass roots now Pulver is saying its the Super Rugby that needs the money - I'm confused

[yungfen]

Hey Pulver, perhaps you should have been upfront with the Force when you 'bought' our licence with the only objective of shutting us down! How do you sleep at night! No point saying you feel sorry for us when you actually could not care less about us.
Coaches was the problem for the 27-0 against New Zealand and not simply players, the whole saga as well would not have helped either!

[SNOB]

It seems that if anyone at the FUARU opens their mouth effluent automatically flows!

[shasta]

Thought the requirement to cut a team was to divert the money to grass roots now Pulver is saying its the Super Rugby that needs the money - I'm confused

I'm not. Pulver's dribble sort of confirms what I have been thinking - all surmising.

1. Clyne said at the presser after the arbitration decision, that it is highly likely that the remaining franchises will need to be bailed out.

2. The ARU is pretty close to flat broke.

3. Andrew Forrest has guaranteed the Force won't be a burden on ARU coffers. But his up to $50 million offer is targeted at Rugby grassroots development (just guessing that but Pulver seems to confirm it). Basically "I'll bail out WA but you're not getting a cent for The Tahs.

4. The ARU are bullshitting everybody from Papworth and his Shite Shield buddies, to every grass roots club in the country. They are practically dead broke, but need to bail out the heartlands and they are going to use the 6 mill a year to do it. They are also going to spend projected income brought forwarded from the Vic's as well - spending tomorrows income today. There will be SFA left for "grassroots"