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Just saw this. Wouldn't that be great. Seems a bit fanciful to me but McLennan has come up with the goods a couple of times now.
Perth’s rugby union fans rejoice as Wallabies set to face All Blacks, British and Irish Lions in Tests
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Mon, 1 February 2021 2:00AM
Perth is set for an international rugby bonanza with as many as four Test matches played at Optus Stadium this year.
A trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks is already scheduled for August but Rugby Australia is planning to bring two British and Irish Lions Tests to Perth that could go back-to-back with a Wallabies clash against France.
It would be a massive coup for WA given the size of a Lions tour and bring a massive injection to the WA economy.
The Lions are due to play in South Africa but plans have been thrown into disarray by COVID-19 and RA is in talks about bringing both the Lions and Springboks to Australia.
RA chairman Hamish McLennan said Perth would likely host two of the high-profile, lucrative games that attract worldwide audiences.
McLennan has contacted South African Rugby Union chief executive Jurie Roux and spoken with new RA chief executive Andy Marinos about Australia as an alternative host.
RA has also sent a proposal to the chairman of England’s Rugby Football Union, Andy Cosslet, and World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.
The first Lions Test is pencilled in for July 24, Australia has a three-Test series against France in the same period with the All Blacks games to follow soon after.“Perth would be a natural. We really believe we could make it work,” McLennan said.
“Perth as a staging venue would be amazing with a huge South African and UK and Irish population.
“It’s viable to have games in Perth. It makes a lot of sense. We can fill stadiums.
“It’s a genuine offer, it’s an option, but ultimately it will come down to South Africa and the Lions.
“Australia has proven it can handle world class sporting events and the fans and the players would love it.
“Everything is a movable feast in this COVID world.”
The Western Force, back in Super Rugby after being controversially axed under RA’s former administration four years ago, would likely play the Lions in a warm-up game as did when they last toured Australia eight years ago.
Optus Stadium hosted the Wallabies in their 47-26 win over New Zealand in 2019 in front of a record 61,721 crowd.
Not much to write about in lockdown Nick?
Basically the same story that was published yesterday in the SMH.
I read them all yesterday so I'm guessing McLennan spoke to all media. I hadn't seen the bit about France coming though
Western Force coach Tim Sampson says talk about a COVID-19 disrupted season is taboo
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Mon, 8 February 2021 11:46AM
Tim Sampson, head coach of the Force looks on after winning the World Series Rugby match between the Force and Wild Knights at nib Stadium. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images
Western Force have slapped a self-imposed ban on talking about where a COVID-19 hit Super Rugby season could take them ahead of Tuesday’s pre-season trial against reigning champions Brumbies.
They spent the 2020 season in an Eastern States bubble and coach Tim Sampson has kept his plans fluid after a second trial against the Queensland Reds was cancelled and they were unable to train under last week’s lockdown.
But one constant remains - no talk about the “what-if” of a disrupted season.
“It’s taboo. We don’t go down that path. It’s not good for us if we talk about it,” Sampson said.
“There are too many other things we have to deal with. From a high performance area of the club we just concentrate on that first game.
“The world we live in, we have to control what we can control in our own backyard. We’re looking forward to a traditional home and away series.”
Sampson has a full squad for the game at Viking Park in Canberra.
Jono Lance of the Force makes a break during the round five Super Rugby AU match between the Western Force and the Melbourne Rebels. Credit: Jason McCawley/Getty Images
“Because we lost the trial against the Reds, it’s important that we brought as many players as possible to get a run,” he said.
“We’re going to share the load and given last week, without being able train properly, we’ve got to manage guys and be mindful of that.”
Sampson hopes the game will help solve some selection puzzles, particularly in key halves pairings.
Captain Ian Prior, Argentina star Tomas Cubelli and junior Wallaby Michael McDonald are all pushing for the No. 9 spot.
Fly-halves Jono Lance, Argentinian international Domingo Miotti and former Wallabies junior world cup player Jake McIntyre will all get game time.
“We’re blessed with depth. The group is on edge,” Sampson said.
“There’s a lot of new guys, international players, guys from within Australian rugby, guys who have returned from overseas.
“Some new guys in the squad are going to get minutes.
“There’s genuine competition through the squad but our halves are the key drivers.
“There’s a real fight for positions and hopefully after this, from a coaches point of view, it can make some decision easier for us.
“It’s going to be tricky being the first hit out of the year.”
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-u...ng-b881790156z
Looks like the new O'neill playing kit has arrived before the trial game against the Brumbies.
But I reckon they'll play in the old kit and save the new stuff for the first SRau game.
Kane Koteka in the new kit with new FoJ sponsor - Harvey Beef.
Last edited by andrewg; 08-02-21 at 13:36.
"The trial will be live streamed on brumbies.rugby and the Brumbies Facebook Page."
3pm WA time
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2021/0...ce-viking-park
Was looking for a link today so I searched rugby.com.au news section for western force.
Is anybody surprised that I got zero results?
Over 100 results for every other team, I expected less than that because we've only rejoined the good boys club a year ago but ZERO?
C'mon the
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Looks like we're the bad guys @ the SMH...... Again.
Despite spending all of last season on the road so SR au could go ahead.
Alaalatoa’s short shift across ACT border shows how WA is holding Super Rugby AU to ransom
A few weeks ago, Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa was told to move out of his house.
It wasn’t a call from a landlord but his bosses at the Brumbies, who told the Wallabies prop he needed to pack his bags and relocate. The reason? Alaalatoa was living - by a very short distance - in NSW rather than the ACT.
Despite being just a couple of kilometres out of the ACT in Wallaroo, Alaalatoa’s NSW postal address meant he would be barred from playing in Perth against the Western Force next week in the Super Rugby opener. Teammates Ryan and Lachlan Lonergan were in the same boat, and also moved.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...08-p570ig.html
Some comments on the above.
RTP.
16 hours ago
After what the ARU did to WA surely WA is entitled to squeeze everything it can from the eastern block.
martyn.r.brown
17 hours ago
WA holding super rugby to ransom - way to sink the boots in Tom
SM
17 hours ago
The word "Idiotic" does not even come close......
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
I guess what it ultimately shows is that without the Force there is no Super Rugby otherwise they would have found a way to drop us instead of "being held to ransom"
We are back and they are running scared with the early excuses.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Super Rugby being held hostage by Covid restrictions that RA knew about for months but only just started working on a contingency plan?
If that article isn't click bait I don't know what is.
Tom Decent is a serial offender. I have yet to read a worthwhile (or decent) article that came from his keyboard.