RugbyWA Launches Perth Spirit For New Competition

[Darren]

The West Australian team to compete in the Australian Rugby Championship (ARC) will be known as Perth Spirit and will wear the traditional State colours of black and gold.

The team will be coached by Emirates Western Force attack coach John Mulvihill, and will play four games in Perth (not including finals) at Members Equity Stadium.

The draw is still being finalised but Perth Spirit are expected to play their first game at Members Equity Stadium on the second weekend in August.

RugbyWA Chief Executive Peter O’Meara said the name was one of 20 considered by the RugbyWA board and senior management, and was selected because it was readily identifiable as West Australian and was easily aligned with the Western Force brand.

“Just as Force taps into the natural elements that have shaped WA, the word Spirit is strong, powerful and dynamic, and reflects the independent, open-minded and entrepreneurial way West Aussies approach things,” O’Meara said.

“We didn’t choose an animal or plant in the name because we wanted it to reflect a passionate and proudly parochial body of people, West Aussies” he said.

“We have some of the most passionate fans in the game – just ask All Blacks legend Tana Umaga – and this name is in recognition of that energy, that…spirit.”

“And just as the ACT team has gone with the Canberra Vikings and the Victorians will use Melbourne in their name, Perth was chosen to avoid confusion with the Western Force but still make it obviously West Australian.”

“With three teams out of New South Wales and two from Queensland, the use of the name Perth will also dispel any suggestion that it’s a State team up against regional sides.”

O’Meara said he was delighted the RugbyWA board had this week approved the team’s traditional hoop design for its jersey, which he hoped would resonate with rugby diehards.

“The ARC is designed to bridge the gap between Super 14 and club rugby, to provide a pathway for club players to make the next step. But it’s also about tapping into the rugby heartland, the grassroots supporter who has been following the game for years.”

Perth Spirit inaugural coach John Mulvihill said it was an honour to be appointed to the position, and he was excited about the opportunities the competition would offer to local rugby players.

“There are some very good local players who have the potential to go further and the ARC provides them with that opportunity,” he said.

Mulvihill said the 28-man squad would not be finalised until the completion of the Super 14 competition and the Wallabies squad had been selected.

The competition runs from August to October.

It comprises eight rounds and involves one team from WA, Victoria and the ACT, three teams from New South Wales and two from Queensland.

Wednesday, 21 March 2007 1:10pm
RugbyWA

[Thequeerone]

It's kinda a shame that this new comp will be eclipsed by the Rwc - but it be interesting to see new players emerge and develop wonder if any local boys will shine

[prop53]

well spirit says it all as that is what W.A as, from players to spectators.

[Burgs]

Great to see they are going to wear the mighty "Bumble Bee"!!!
Hope there is some merch to go with it, been a while since my one fitted....

[travelling_gerry]

Great to see they are going to wear the mighty "Bumble Bee"!!!
Hope there is some merch to go with it, been a while since my one fitted....

I can almost GUARANTEE it Burgs.....

[shasta]

Hope the " (not including finals) " doesn't mean all finals on the East Coast?

[Darren]

I think it means 4 games at MES and then the Finals

[fulvio sammut]

Speaking of finals, am I correct in the following assumptions:

1.Most if not all WA ARC players play club rugby

2. A number of local players in the Force Academy will be sent off to play for the Mickey Mouse stateS (SA, Vic) to make them competitive


3. The stronger local teams will contribute the greater number of players to the ARC side

4.The ARC will start in August (I think the 11th?) and finish at the end of September or later

5.The local club competition finals start in late August and finish in mid September

Ergo, the top local teams that make the finals will have 8 or 10 of their first grade ripped out of them, with domino effect on their lower grades if they too make the finals.

So what happens? The lesser team that just scrapes in without contributing to the ARC numbers is left with a team strong enough to take out the premiership and the more powerful teams who have done their homework, recriuted and developed players well, go by the wayside. What incentive is it for them to spend time and money on players when to do so will only guarantee they lose the premiership? Better to have mediocre players, keep a stable team and so have the advantage!

Something will have to be done about this. As I see it, the options are

1.Do away with the ARC-not a possibility and not disireable

2.Start the ARC in late September-common sense I would have thought

4.Do away with club finals-top of the ladder at end of season are the premiers-not that attractive an option

5.Limit ARC selection to a maximum of 2 or 3 players per club -evens out and spreads the burden between clubs- fairer, but still on the nose and has its own difficulties

6. Carry on with the current proposal (which would appear to be a fait accompli) and effectively destroy top level club rugby over 2 or 3 seasons

And then, my short sighted friends at RugbyWA, where will you get your steady stream of (cheap) potential Force and Academy players in years to come?

Suggestion, argument,discussion,anyone?

Or will club administrators all roll over like mangy dogs as usual?

[shasta]

Won't the majority of Spirit players be The Force/Force Academy squad minus Wallabies? A few might go to Melbourne, fair enough as a couple of our guys hail from there. SA has no team far as I know. The only Perth, (but non-Force) players to make the trip last year were, IIRC, Kiti Fuluna & James Stannard.

[fulvio sammut]

You are right Shasta about SA not being involved. But I dont think ACT have much of a (competitive) local competition and you can substitute them for SA in my "Mickey Mouse" put down!

As I understood it the ARC was intended for upper echelon club players to be considered, with established Force players being used only to fill holes where necessary. They were calling for expressions of interest earlier from club players, and if my memory serves me correctly, they had 8/10 or so applicants from Nedlands and Palmyra, with a good few scattered amongst other WA clubs as well.
With the way the Force are playing so far this year, and the Wallabies woes, there may well be the best part of the run on Force team in the Wallaby squad anyway.

Peter Omeara is quoted as saying "The ARC is designed to bridge the gap between super 14 and club rugby and to provide a pathway for club playersto make the next step".

[shasta]

Well I'm not sure so we'll see who gets in.

The part about bridging the gap from club rugby to S14 applies to all the Sydney and Brisbane club teams as well and there is no shortage of players from those clubs looking for a start. Aussie players currently overseas are being contracted, such as Nathan Grey to Melbourne. Matt Cockbain has been mentioned as well.

I guess it's so we don't see more of what the Reds are currently going through. There may be a lot of Perth players interested but how many will be chosen will be a balance between wanting to give them exposure to pro level rugby, how many are good enough and wanting The Spirit to do well.

How many Perth players do you reckon could beat Sydney/Brisbane players to a spot in the Spirit?

[fulvio sammut]

The point is Shasta that many of the Perth players currently seeking consideration for the Spirit are NSW,Qld, Kiwi and South Africans who are here playing club rugby for the very reason that they think (and in the main are) themselves to be of the required calibre.
Many have been brought over at the expense of local clubs, accomodated by them, found employment and transport and wet nursed through their personal dramas and crises in the initial stages.
In view of this not inconsiderable financial imput I think that within a spirit of cooperation and fairness, the clubs are entitled to a personal return on their investment.
Yes I think that there is a solid argument, having seen them play in the Challenge Cup series just held, to maintain that many of them are equal or better than first division club level anywhere in the world.

[shasta]

they think (and in the main are) themselves to be of the required calibre.

Many have been brought over at the expense of local clubs,

the clubs are entitled to a personal return on their investment.

Aside from the fact that I'm pretty sure you're playing a bit of devil's advocate here - bloody lawyers - your points are pretty valid.

Fact remains there are only 28 spots in each squad. If the players are good enough they'll be picked, I suppose.

Hopefully all those contracted Force players who are not as good as them will balance things out when they return to play for their allocated clubs. Unless they can get a start for The Fleet or The Stingrays etc.

I suppose all the east coast clubs would claim they also are entitled to a return on player investments. I think they may even have had to alter their competition structure to accommodate the ARC, also in that spirit of cooperation - accompanied by some targeted arm twisting.

[Shaun]

Carn the Spirit!

[Burgs]

From the ARU website: The new competition requires 224 players (eight teams of 28 players).

Approximately 95 of these players will come from the Super 14 teams (contracted players who do not make the Wallaby squad).

This leaves approximately 130 places available for non-contracted players who are looking to step up to a higher level of Rugby.

The ARU has received expressions of interest from more than 500 non-contracted players who are keen to fill these 130 places."

From my memory of earlier RugbyWA and ARU articles, many from outside of WA applied to play in the (now) Perth Spirit exclusively to any other team.
My understanding from above and earlier media is that the majority of our 28 will be current Force players with a few top up from the Academy, local and outside interest.
Of our 35 Man Extended Squad, up to 12 may be called to Wallaby duties and no doubt there will be say three out with injuries/rehab leaving only about 8 positions for non contracted players from around the Australian Rugby Community. A couple of our squad (Ioane/Daruda for example) may head back to Melbourne however I would imagine, going on previous indications, that Force management will be very keen to keep our squad playing together.
I don't know but would assume that the same "Australia eligible" criteria would be in place.
Apart from the devils advocate aspect fulv, I think the benefits far out weigh the negatives to Club land, at least in Year 1, for getting the general Australian standard to raise.