How Twiggy will run his rebel rugby comp

[andrewM]

Unsurprisingly, the SMH has a slightly pessimistic view

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/ne...05-gzfawf.html
New Indo Pacific Rugby Championship to run alongside Super Rugby comp – but not until 2019

Justin Chadwick
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Australia's best Super Rugby players might not be eligible to play in the Indo Pacific Rugby Championship after organisers were forced to change the playing dates of the new competition.

Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest initially planned for the IPRC to run after the Super Rugby season from August to October.

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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/ne...05-gzfawf.html
Pacific project: Andrew Forrest plans to present his IPRC vision at a World Rugby board meeting on November 14.
Pacific project: Andrew Forrest plans to present his IPRC vision at a World Rugby board meeting on November 14. Photo: AAP
But he had to switch the playing window to the March-June period because of seasonal weather conditions in Asia.

The IPRC will now launch in 2019, instead of next year.

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But despite moving to a timeslot where Super Rugby is also played, the IPRC appears set to be given the tick of approval from Rugby Australia (formerly the Australian Rugby Union).

Nothing has been signed off as yet, but the IPRC released a statement on Sunday saying it had formed consensus with RA around a host of core principles surrounding the new competition.

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However, RA will only support the new competition if it doesn't affect the integrity of Super Rugby.

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As part of that integrity, RA's Wallabies eligibility policy remains in place.

It means Australia's best Super Rugby players probably won't be able to play in the IPRC if they want to remain eligible for the national side.

Some of Australia's best players are plying their trade overseas, and a major goal of the IPRC is to lure those players home.

Those returning players could be made eligible for Wallabies selection if they play for the IPRC's only Australian team – the Western Force.

The other five teams for the inaugural season are yet to be decided, but places such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul are all in the running.

Forrest plans to present his IPRC vision at a World Rugby board meeting on November 14.

"This is a transformative day for the players and the fans of Rugby in the Indo-Pacific region," Forrest said.

"I am so proud to have reached this position where we have aligned with Rugby Australia on some core principles and a path forward."

World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper welcomed the progress of negotiations between RA and the IPRC.

"World Rugby is supportive of the IPRC's objective to further help grow the game of rugby throughout the Indo-Pacific region," Gosper said.

The core principles agreed upon between the IPRC and RA (subject to World Rugby approval) are:

IPRC has agreed to play in a March to June competition window. This window was chosen as it represents the best opportunity to play rugby in Asia (seasonal considerations). The window was recommended on the provision that it does not negatively impact on Super Rugby or Asia Rugby's international competitions.
A full launch of the IPRC is scheduled for 2019.
The integrity of the Super Rugby competition will be maintained.
IPRC will work with Rugby Australia to repatriate players who have been lost overseas, to join the Western Australian team.
Rugby Australia's Wallabies eligibility policy remains in place, with further consideration to be given to allowing players in the Western Australian team to be eligible for the Wallabies.
IPRC and Rugby Australia will consider what additional resources are required to support and supplement Rugby Australia's elite pathway, including retention of key Wallabies in Super Rugby, the National Rugby Championship, club competitions and community programs for the benefit of Australian Rugby.
IPRC and SANZAAR to undertake further consultation with regards to competition management and operations.
IPRC, Rugby Australia and the Super Rugby high-performance teams to explore the possibility of "sister-club" arrangements to support player/coach and match official development.
AAP

[beige]

Unsurprisingly, the SMH has a slightly pessimistic view

Just repeating the same info though.

[chibi]

Amazing how these idiots keep rabbiting on about the potential quality of players. None of them talk about the potential quality of matches, the potential competitiveness of the competition, the potential pay-cheques for players nor the actual size of the cities involved. Where was all the talk about the quality of players when they were having their circle-jerk over the Shute Shield final?

[zimeric]

I thought the IPRC wasnt going steal away super rugby players but rather take the discarded melbourne and perth players and add foreign based players...SMH making a headline from nothing.. to steal a phrase "fake news"

[SNOB]

IF the IPRC Force make an offer to a wallaby which is twice the SR amount what’s he going to do? As has already been shown players are more than happy to go to Europe for the money and give up wallaby selection. Why not stay at home? Might be able to get at least 15. I bet the FURA formerly the FUARU will very quickly change their tune.

[boof1050]

Exactly the point snob! People are thinking this is gonna be a 2 bit comp with nobody's and not exactly thinking about the coin willing to be invested. Take for instance Liam Gill, Higginbotham, Toomua, Kieran, Pek and many others. Only gotta offer say 15% more than the others in the other comp and bingo they're on board and competitive. And we haven't mentioned the forgotten Kiwis or Saffers.

[Pj,Rj,Hj]

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.

If the IP Force and Spirit can't be recovered then I'm keen for a name with geographic significance or relevance (and that goes for the other 5 IPRC teams).
The Black Swan(s) is the most obvious choice.
Still, "The Tiger Snakes" could work as they're a fearsome animal with markings in the WA colours and with the traditional WA Jersey hoops. The Hoops or horizontal strips could be varied to differentiate from any WA Rep team.
Then again a Kuala Lumpur team may want to follow their traditions and colours as "The Tigers" in Black and Gold too.

[chrisk]

I'd like to see the IPRC as a work in progress with the goal of improving the standard of rugby in the whole Indo-Pacific region. This year (by the performance of the Western Force) we've seen how it's possible to create a top level Super Rugby team based mostly on local players with limited top level experience, and many of the concepts, structures, and facilities could be reinstated quickly. So in terms of the IPRC being a second rate competition I don't feel that's the case. Lure back some top quality world class players with the same goal of improving rugby worldwide to pass on their skills and knowledge. Have a top class coaching academy featuring top class to teach other coaches. Develop world class fitness and development regimes. With these tools in place you would be developing the whole region into a top class rugby zone.

If we were to rely on competing for players with Super Rugby the IPRC could be short lived. But if we can improve the standard of rugby in the whole region, there's no reason why the IPRC shouldn't be Super Rugby standard or better. The focus needs to be on creating entertaining and competitive rugby, and that would have nothing to do with the ARU or Super Rugby.

I've also been working an a proposed new logo. While the new logo is very similar to the old Western Force logo it's actually a completely new logo. The assessment used to determine it is in fact a new logo (and not an amendment to the old logo) was based upon the same metrics that helped the ARU determine that they entered into a new broadcasting agreement with Foxtel earlier this year.

[chibi]

And there's also a lot of ex-union guys running around in RL for small incomes, some of those guys might like the option of being paid to play the game they grew up with, with a nice Tokyo/Hong Kong/Singapore apartment thrown-in, or maybe a beach-house on Unawatuna Beach in Sri Lanka?

[Bakkies]

Just repeating the same info though.

Justin Chadwick is a journo from Perth

[Pj,Rj,Hj]

I'd initially like to see the IPRC as followed...
Played in boutique sized rectagular stadiums, no Athletics tracks.

Perth - NIB Stadium (Cap -20500)

Singapore - Our Tampines Hub (8000)
Attachment 5127

Kuala Lumpur - Stadium Merdeka (20000)
Attachment 5128

Hong Kong - Mong Kok Stadium (7000)
Attachment 5129

Incheon - Namdong Rugby Field (5000)
Attachment 5130

Yokohama - Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium (15000)
Attachment 5131

[Bakkies]

Not sure if they will go to Korea to start with. Sri Lanka has a strong Rugby history and they are building a good case with media coverage

[chibi]

If the IP Force and Spirit can't be recovered then I'm keen for a name with geographic significance or relevance (and that goes for the other 5 IPRC teams).
The Black Swan(s) is the most obvious choice.
Still, "The Tiger Snakes" could work as they're a fearsome animal with markings in the WA colours and with the traditional WA Jersey hoops. The Hoops or horizontal strips could be varied to differentiate from any WA Rep team.
Then again a Kuala Lumpur team may want to follow their traditions and colours as "The Tigers" in Black and Gold too.

Indeed, but then again, we can always wear a stylish mid-blue jumper as our away kit!

Also, I reckon every team having an away kit is the way to go in this competition, maybe even a commemorative third, on some occasions.

But with so little teams in the early stages, there really shouldn't be a clash, as there was with so many of the NRC sides in the first year. Having said that, these franchises will be coming from established places with their own cultures and heritages, for example, it would be a bit silly not to see Singapore in red. Actually, speaking of Lumpur, don't KL provincial sides also wear red too? Geez, we may end up with a lot of red in this competition...

By the way, are we off-topic here? Should this be moved to a design thread?

[Pj,Rj,Hj]

Not sure if they will go to Korea to start with. Sri Lanka has a strong Rugby history and they are building a good case with media coverage

Getting a bit ahead of myself, looking into the image presented with the standard of venues. Sri Lanka should certainly have a team even if their Rugby stadia are lacking.

Indeed, but then again, we can always wear a stylish mid-blue jumper as our away kit!

Also, I reckon every team having an away kit is the way to go in this competition, maybe even a commemorative third, on some occasions.

But with so little teams in the early stages, there really shouldn't be a clash, as there was with so many of the NRC sides in the first year. Having said that, these franchises will be coming from established places with their own cultures and heritages, for example, it would be a bit silly not to see Singapore in red. Actually, speaking of Lumpur, don't KL provincial sides also wear red too? Geez, we may end up with a lot of red in this competition...

By the way, are we off-topic here? Should this be moved to a design thread?

Must have been Malaysia National Side that's also Black and Gold, not KL.
A design thread ain't a bad idea

[chibi]

You're dead right, Malaysia wears yellow and black.

Also, has anyone checked out the big rugby derby in Korea?