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As confirmed during the interview with Andrew Forrest during the half time televised feed which can be seen on Twitter @WSR
World Series Rugby set for NSW expansion
Nick TaylorThe West Australian
Friday, 17 August 2018 9:10AM
Nick Taylor
Andrew Forrest.
Andrew Forrest.Picture: WA News
World Series Rugby is planning to base a side in Sydney's western suburbs in next year’s expanded million dollar tournament.
The move has been kept under wraps but talks are well advanced about taking a Pacific island-based side to the region.
The team would have a strong Samoa and Tonga influence, but also tap into the area's talent-laden resources.
It would be a much-needed show of support for the area that has been struggling for funding and assistance and saw the Penrith Emus axed from the Shute Shield in May.
That left the region without a senior club for the first time in 27 years. Ironically there were calls to relocate the Force to Sydney's west two years ago before it was cut from Super Rugby by Rugby Australia.
There has been a push to re-establish a side from World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer who has described the area as a goldmine of potential players.
Wallabies Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau, who herald from the area, have urged Rugby Australia to help development.
Western Force is expected to battle seven teams for a $1 million purse in the expanded WSR next year.
Mining magnate Andrew Forrest, who has bankrolled the new Force and WSR, is getting ready to roll out a new five-year plan after the Force finish their seven-exhibition game series against Panasonic Wild Knights tonight
Two new sides are expected to come from Japan, one from New Zealand and other options include sides based in Fiji, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney
Israel Folau to play for the Western Sydney (insert name) in the 2019 WSR. You heard it here first!
Rumours swirling over east that F45 are about to take over Penrith Emus, plenty of $$ and have met with NSWRU regarding resubmission to Shite Shield.....
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Is this the old news from 3 weeks ago, or has something new happened or agreement reached?
Gregory Hall shared a link to the group: Sea of Blue.
17 August at 12:24 ·
PENRITH are returning to the Shute Shield.
We can reveal that the dumped Penrith Emus have secured a major sponsorship deal with fitness firm F45 that will clear their debts and allow them to come back to Sydney’s club rugby competition in 2019.
Penrith was sensationally dumped from the Shute Shield earlier this season following years of blowout scores, poor administration and dangerous incidents for Emus and rival players.
However, their temporary suspension was based on a number of conditions they couldn’t meet.
Reliable sources inform us that those conditions will be more than met under the new deal with the F45 group, who have gyms all over the country and are worth $300 million.
As part of the sponsorship, it’s understood a new F45 gym will be opened at Penrith’s training facility, and profits will be fed into the club’s rugby operations.
The deal ticks all of the legal boxes that gives Penrith insiders confidence they would win a court battle if Sydney Rugby Union tried to block their path back in.
There are some heavy hitters involved in the resurrection of the Emus, and it comes as the Wallabies attempt to win the hearts of western Sydney rugby fans by basing themselves there this Bledisloe Cup week.
Another big coup could come for rugby in the region, with Penrith officials talking to Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest about acting as a feeder team for a western Sydney side to enter his World Series competition next year.
Next step has been taken, since the above from what I have been told, which is the actual meeting with NSWRU requesting resubmission to Shite Shield.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
OK, we assume that meeting went well from the rumours you are hearing.
When I saw the report that Twiggy was searching for a CEO for WSR, I also talk that as good sign that he now suddenly had a solid WSR structure and teams locked in place, that he could tell prospective high-level CEO applicants about.
Hmm interesting name change they have going on there.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...05-p501yn.html
Blacklock revealed the club was working on a major overhaul in the lead-up to next season, involving a new name, a bigger catchment and the $11 million redevelopment of their Granville Park home.
We are re-branding to the Western Sydney Two Blues to broaden our reach beyond Parramatta," he said.
"Our juniors are from Baulkham Hills, to Hawkesbury and down to Liverpool, so being isolated as 'Parramatta' doesn't resonate with everybody. We also live in the shadow of the Eels [rugby league team], so this is a great opportunity to re-establish rugby as a sport and as a viable pathway to the elite levels."
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
sounds suspiciously like they are pre-empting Penrith's plans to me
There was talk of a Western Sydney side in the Shute Shield to replace Penrith with the backing of UWS. I would imagine both clubs will be feeders for Twiggy's WSR team.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
More like they got real scared when Twiggy put his hand up to help, just like when he announced that there could be a women's component to WSR, boy did they start the Super W bloody quick, perhaps Buildcorp did push their hand a little, with tension at the board. Same for looking at Japan, as soon as IPRC/WSR hot the table all of these ideas blossomed at Moore Park, coincidence, I think not.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
It could be a smart move on their part. Maybe even positioning themselves to also be a feeder team for the "Western Sydney Force" or whatever. Parramatta are not among the self proclaimed elites of the inner Sydney mafia. They might even enjoy flipping the bird at Rat's Arse as much as us.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Perhaps that's a strategy. I have noticed a bit of a scarcity in wsr of women's and sevens news. Maybe twiggy knows how arrogant and dumb Clyne is, so he's seeding some of this stuff in press releases to get ra to act on stuff that they've been dragging their feet over. Stuff that's expensive, stuff that's new. A very clever way to bankrupt your opponent. I think he should go for salary equity between the women's and men's games next. That will kill the mythical 4 million dollar surplus.
C'mon the![]()
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Twiggy woos Sydney rugby powerbrokers
Which mining magnate with deep pockets and a keen interest in rugby has brokered a secret meeting with Sydney and NSW rugby officials for Monday? The Cauliflower hears Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest is sending over one of his trusted rugby heads to woo Sydney rugby powerbrokers with his vision for western Sydney and World Series Rugby.
Heading east: Former Wallaby and close associate of Andrew Forrest, John Welborn, is meeting with Sydney rugby powerbrokers.
Heading east: Former Wallaby and close associate of Andrew Forrest, John Welborn, is meeting with Sydney rugby powerbrokers.
Photo: Trevor Collens
Twiggy's camp and NSW Rugby denied all knowledge of the meeting when contacted on Thursday, but we hear it's going ahead after an approach from John Welborn, a former Wallaby and close associate of Twiggy's, who has been involved in the World Series Rugby project for some time.
The meeting-that-isn't-a-meeting will raise eyebrows at Rugby Australia but the SRU and NSW Rugby Union are determined to hear Twiggy - or Welborn - out.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...06-p50246.html
Excerpt from SRU Director Brett Papworth's latest scribblings about the success of this years Shite Shield, the failings of Rat's Arse and of it's CEO. Bit strange that, after his past anti- Force/Rabble rantings, he doesn't have the Rabble and their 50-odd man money pit in his sights. Apart from his past stance against the Force he pretty much thinks the same as we do. I also find it interesting in that the he is a director of the SRU (who Georgina Robinson says are determined to meet with John Welborn) and he has previously had a couple of tilts at getting a Western Sydney franchise up and running.
Rugby AU spent $130 million last year, precisely zero on grassroots rugby. The rugby community is us; mums and dads, brothers and sisters, aunties and uncles, who make our game work and make it possible for kids to play. And we pay a levy for the privilege! My club paid an invoice for $9500 this year, and every junior club, Subbies club, country club did the same to some degree. Paid to an organisation who refuses to accept they need to tip it on its head if it wants to close the gap between New Zealand and Australia.
Our new CEO tells us that any issues should be directed to our governing body, which is NSWRU (or more accurately NSW Waratahs). That is simply a “crock”! NSW and every other state are absolutely at the mercy of the decisions and funding of Rugby AU, yet they refuse to take responsibility for those decisions, and for the long-term health of a game in decline.
And they are not prepared to let us poor amateurs, who know, have any say in the running of the game, and the spending of the money. Our money.
More here..... https://rugbynews.net.au/brett-papwo...-shield-clubs/
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Hey Ex, apparently Sydney Subbies rugby is as bad as everyone else in the country. It appears that the way to be a successful rugby competition you need to shed teams like Penrith - wait, that sounds familiarOriginally Posted by Papworth
Just thought you'd like to know!
C'mon the![]()
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