The Western Force IP and brand,, Time to leave it behind and move forward..

[Hansie]

Why can't rugby WA leave the Rugby Australia fold and apply to the the international rugby body to be it's own entity?

I've pretty much lost all interest in the Wallies. But I'd totally support a local international team.

Some research was done to see what is needed for this to happen.

Believe me, it is insurmountable.

[antiussentiment]

It's really pleasing to know this was looked at..

..and sad that it does not seem to be possible at the moment.

[antiussentiment]

Re; the name.

I agree having a name that Rugby Australia own the IP for is galling..

The Force was a bit of a crap name anyway. What is a force? How do you fashion one or paint it on a flag or shirt? I feel as though a name should be a "thing" rather than intangible.. I thought about putting F=ma on a flag just to confuse everyone with high school physics once.. Then realised how ridiculous that was. Maybe we could have all worn Issac Newton masks?

So if there is to be a new name can it please be something i can wave around on a flag?

I'd love it if it was a noongah thing actually.

Dubitj or Kooljak (Dugite or Swan I belive)

[Hansie]

Y'know, I reckon we should have a bunch of our First Peoples at every home game playing the didg as the team runs on to the field and when in the Red Zone. Imagine 1 dozen amplified didgeridoos making that pulsating and awesome deep rumbling sound? It would make the Cheetah's Harley's sound like lawnmowers....

[antiussentiment]

That's totally mordjitj!!

[AndyS]

I thought about putting F=ma on a flag just to confuse everyone with high school physics once..

Could have probably done something with pressure applied to an area though...

[andrewM]

I was for Perentie when the team was first announced

[Hansie]

Bungarrow!!!!

[Basha69]

Bungarrow!!!!

Bungarra :-)

[GIGS20]

Y'know, I reckon we should have a bunch of our First Peoples at every home game playing the didg as the team runs on to the field and when in the Red Zone. Imagine 1 dozen amplified didgeridoos making that pulsating and awesome deep rumbling sound? It would make the Cheetah's Harley's sound like lawnmowers....

That'd be (ahem) deadly

[Markos2012]

Re; the name.


Dubitj or Kooljak (Dugite or Swan I belive)

A swan would be a maali, a black swan would be a moorn maali.

[.X.]

Why can't rugby WA leave the Rugby Australia fold and apply to the the international rugby body to be it's own entity?

I've pretty much lost all interest in the Wallies. But I'd totally support a local international team.

I am going to try and answer this question as best I can. I dont want to appear that I have all the answers, and my answer will probably be biased as I personally dont think thats its a good idea.

World Rugby is made up of 102 Member Unions and 17 Associate Unions.

Membership of World Rugby is a four-step process: (stolen from Wikipedia)

1. A Union must apply to become an associate member of its Regional Union
2. After all membership criteria are met, including one year as an associate member, the Union is admitted to the Regional Union as a full member
3. After completion of stages 1 and 2, and two years as a full member of a Regional Union, the Union may then apply to become an Associate member of World Rugby. As an associate member, the union can participate in World Rugby funded tournaments but not the Rugby World Cup
4. Following two years of associate membership of World Rugby, the union may then apply to become a Full Member

Regional Unions

Six regional associations, which represent each continent, are affiliated with World Rugby and help to develop the fifteen-a-side game as well as Rugby 7's across the world. Not all members of the regional associations are members of World Rugby. Below is a list of member and associate unions and their regional associations with the year that they joined World Rugby. Associate unions are in italics.

Africa There are 18 World Rugby members and 4 World Rugby associates Featuring South Africa

South America There are 9 World Rugby members, and 1 World Rugby associate Featuring Argentina

North America There are 11 World Rugby members, and 2 World Rugby associates Featuring USA and Canada

Europe There are 37 World Rugby members, and 3 World Rugby associates Featuring France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy

Asia There are 17 World Rugby members, and 5 World Rugby associates Featuring Japan

Oceania There are 12 World Rugby members Featuring Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga

** Please note that all of the Member Unions and Affiliate Unions are Nations.

They are the facts. Apart from there maybe new information because we are now in 2018 and Wikipedia has 2017 information.

Here are my thoughts.

If we were to go it alone. Divorce ourselves from Rugby Australia. We would have to join a new Member Union within Oceania. Its possible that none of the Oceania members may want us to join, or we may face similar problems to what we are having now, or they could be even worse. If we do join with Singapore ( as an example, I have no knowledge of Singapore Rugby). Its quite possible that Singapore Rugby may face sanctions or recrimination by other member unions or by World Rugby itself. Or, It might be permitted by World Rugby. What next?? Developing Western Australian players may have the great honor of representing Singapore? Having barn burners of Test Matches vs Indonesia and the Philippines?

As I said before, there are State or Province representatives in the World Rugby member Unions. It is all National representation.

RugbyWA leaving and going alone could have us becoming a pure rebel organisation. Where we would only play other "rebel teams". All our players would no longer have any pathway. They would face possible bans to participate in Organised Competitions eg Super Rugby or Test Matches. and even if World Rugby allowed RugbyWA to go it alone. Who would we have Test Matches with? Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong? We would never appear on the Radar of South Africa or Argentina or Japan, Fiji, Tonga or Samoa and I would put safe money on us never playing Australia.

In conclusion I think that suggesting that RugbyWA divorce itself from Rugby Australia is a knee jerk reaction to what happened in 2017. I do not believe that it is a realistic possibility and that the outcome would do us any favors going forward. Also, If this was a good idea surely Mr Forrest, Hodgo and the team at Minderoo would not be spending so much time negotiating with Rugby Australia.

Soon (Jeeze I hope its soon) board members will be replaced and their will be a new Board of Rugby Australia. With new idea and new plans, hopes and dreams. (I'm sorry, I am a glass half full kind of guy)

[SteveWA]

IMHO it was appropriate and responsible for the option of going it alone to be investigated, especially as RA shows no contrition nor remorse for the damage that has occurred. That being said, our issue is with the RA board (and some of the management + consultants). A fish rots from the head down. If the same attitudes prevail even after a change at the top, then there is a strong case to be made for exploring every avenue for going it alone.

[chrisk]

The Nauru Force?

[Darren]

When WA secedes from Australia it might have to happen