How Twiggy will run his rebel rugby comp

[Kiap]

For 2018 it looks like they will have a low-key “trial run” of the IPRC tournament. I will be there for these games in Perth (and, outside of that, will also check out some premier clubs near me and catch a few club games - more free weekends open up to do so now).

Plus the 2019 start will allow the IPRC time to organise the big operation that includes player recruitment and broadcasting rights. More details here

…The current SANZAAR broadcasting rights deals run out in 2020 and with Super Rugby proving to be unpopular with many fans and players it would also provide an alternative competition.

Some players have indicated they would join IPRC because they no longer want to play Super Rugby or want to return home from Europe with their families, IPRC representatives say.

Star Wallabies and overseas players have already been sounded out and Forrest has potential Asian backers for the four months competition of 10 home-and-away rounds plus finals.

Forrest has not yet nominated a salary cap but said the IPRC would offer lucrative contracts to help stem the overseas flood of Australian players.

… Forrest also wants the return of the Force intellectual property, including the name, bought by the governing body for $800,000 last year with a guarantee it could be bought back by the now defunct club.

He has said that it should be sold back for $1 - the amount Rugby AU sold the Melbourne Rebels to New Zealand businessman Andrew Cox and the same amount he sold it to the Victorian Rugby Union to effectively prevent the club’s closure ahead of the Force.

Those deals are the focus of a senate inquiry into Australian rugby that will announce its findings later this month.

[chibi]

Black Swans, how can we be anything but the Black Swans?

Well I certainly have nothing against that name. I've heard somewhere that the WARU like to call the State team "The Gold" before. As in the old AusRugbyShield Perth Gold or the Force's second team, the Western Force Gold or even more recently referenced on this board, the WA Gold. But in all honesty, I don't see why we have to wear gold or yellow jerseys, if it's a marketing problem. A predominantly black jersey in our State colours of gold'n'black would look pretty awesome. I keep thinking of the number of cool jerseys I've seen worn by Borussia Dortmund in Germany or Roda JC and NAC Breda in Holland, and I think "why not us?" They're OUR colours after all. If they need to tweak it slightly, to make it different from the actual State rep colours, then use a metallic gold or a dash of highlighter yellow, something like that. I could definitely come up with something, I did it once before for an AFL team.

On the team name, rugby is a funny game too. You can give a team no name at all and the fans will come up with something funny, look at the Piggies. Unfortunately, an alternate name for "swan" is "cob," a male swan, but that doesn't really roll off the tongue. Then again, "penn" is a female swan, and seeing as the IPRC has womens rugby, "Perth Penns" as a colloquial nickname for the ladies' team sounds quirky and a little endearing. I suppose drunken rugby fans probably would call out "Carn the Cobbies!" but I'm digressing a bit too far here. The other option was to call the team "Sunset Rugby" and junior members could be part of the "Sunny Club" and get a pair of sunnies with some sort of sponsorship with the Cancer Council or something like that. But hey, it's all lunatic brainstorming on my part.

I reckon they should have Western Australia on the badge somewhere, and demand the other teams have their locations on their logos too. I would commission the guys who did the J-League soccer logos, to look into designs and team names that are truly relevant to the places involved in the competition (rather than stealing them from little-known American indoor-sports franchises, like we did)

I must admit, as a sports design buff, this is certainly getting my creative juices flowing, as it were. I think I might whip up a portfolio for the design forum.

[Alison]

Go for it Chibi!

RugbyWA is looking for ideas, ideas and more ideas for generating as much support as possible for next season’s community rugby scene so please keep the juices flowing!!

I’ll be hitting you all up for ideas before November is out so get those thinking caps on!

I’m going to get a little survey going too so keep your eyes peeled for that too!

[Kiap]

It’ll be a second rate comp because the FURU and Fox and the rest of the cabal will make sure it is.

You're right, it might be - initially. The gap in standard will narrow, though, and the way back begins.

The IPRC can build to something like the Japanese Top League - there's some quality teams there and elite players. It's a proper comp.

And Super Rugby is going to fracture before 2020 before it can hope to continue. It won't be the same comp as in 2018.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some teams from the IPRC playing teams from the Soup, after a shake-up, in 2021.

[chibi]

You're right, it will be second-rate - particularly initially. The gap will narrow, though, and the way back begins.

The IPRC can build to something like the Japanese Top League - there's some quality teams there and elite players. It's a proper comp.

And the other thing people forget, is that the Japanese comp can be pretty entertaining to watch. Having the world's best players aren't the most essential component. Super Rugby generally has the best players of the top four teams at the last world cup, yet crowds are dwindling and the rugby is repetitive outside of a few teams. Yet, conversely, people are watching the Shute Shield, which gave us a hell of a final; the NRC is exciting stuff; a few million Sri Lankans tune in every year to watch the Bradby Shield, which is a high-school game; Craven Week is still a highlight of the South African sporting calender; and in other sports in Australia, the A-League and the NBL still has high interest and attendances, and they are by no means the highest level of the game in the soccer and basketballing world.

As long as we can get some open space, innovation and running rugby; then showcase it on free-to-air in some manner, (either as a weekly highlights round-up, or just broadcasting the away games only) this league has a chance.

The only stupid thing they could do to bugger it up, would be to select an IPRC rep XV and have them play the All Blacks or some other silly fixture, which will show up the player quality. Keep the league self-contained and play to it's own (remarkable) strengths, forget about comparisons to other rugby comps, that's the way to go about it.

[BLR]

The only stupid thing they could do to bugger it up, would be to select an IPRC rep XV and have them play the All Blacks or some other silly fixture, which will show up the player quality. Keep the league self-contained and play to it's own (remarkable) strengths, forget about comparisons to other rugby comps, that's the way to go about it.

I think you can see however with the Barbarians game against Australia that a team that got together on a Tuesday can take to the wire, and narrowly lose against a Wallaby team that had the referee firmly in their pocket. Super Rugby isn't what it used to be quality wise, the 'toughest provincial competition in the world' moniker no longer applies.

Also, as for the self contained comp, that is a must, the AFL & NRL talk all the time how they are the greatest game in the world as they just ignore every other sport. The IPRC can just ignore everyone else and rake in the dough.

Also, if the IPRC teams need to supply Wallabies, is it possible for them to wear a different patch on their jersey to indicate they are not affiliated with the filth. I just don't want anything to do with any of them over east anymore, how many years of bullshit do we need to put up with?

[zimeric]

Also not considered is that Wessels wont be the coach...

[chibi]

Also, as for the self contained comp, that is a must, the AFL & NRL talk all the time how they are the greatest game in the world as they just ignore every other sport. The IPRC can just ignore everyone else and rake in the dough.

Indeed, always reminds me of the old Australian Open logo, which used to state "The Grand Slam of the Asia/Pacific" which played to it's strength; it never said "Look at us please! We are as good as Wimbledon!" or something else cringeworthy. I'd like to see the IPRC do something similar. "The championship of Asia" "The most populous competition on earth" or weather-wise, "The hottest rugby around" or something like that.

[Bakkies]

I see the ARU have got the story up on their website and using the word integrity

[UAUdiver1959]

2019 is ok. 6 teams (30-35 players) need 6 coaches and staff plus time to get their heads around it. I see 2018 as a build year for us and lots of trial and invitational and showcase games here and in Asia.

[Jules]

So grateful we have this man on our side!! Every time something crap happens he hopes up and gives us some hope 😊

[GIGS20]

Www ok. Starting to look like they are preparing for the possibility that they won't be able to buy back the Force IP 😑

Maybe they're looking at using city names rather than provinces. No big for me force is the important part anyway

[blueandblack]

2019 is ok. 6 teams (30-35 players) need 6 coaches and staff plus time to get their heads around it. I see 2018 as a build year for us and lots of trial and invitational and showcase games here and in Asia.

Similar thing with Western Force. Decision announced Dec 2004, first game 2006. IPRC official announcement latter 2017, first game 2019.

[andrewM]

I see the ARU have got the story up on their website and using the word integrity

That must mean it's Slag o'clock then Bakkies! ARU

[UAUdiver1959]

If we run at the same time as Super Rugby and have Wallaby eligibility rights.....we won't be hamstrung by the Salary Cap or ARU top-ups. Money talks, you wait and see the calibre of players we get into this comp!!!