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August 9, 2019
Global Rapid Rugby will expand into a home-and-away competition in 2020, with Asia Pacific teams competing for AU$1 million in prize money.
Just hours before the final game of a successful 2019 Showcase Series, Rapid Rugby Founder Andrew Forrest AO reaffirmed his commitment to the sport in WA and the Asia Pacific region.
“We decided to use 2019 to introduce the Asia Pacific to Global Rapid Rugby’s brand of the game and this proved to be a good call. The players loved it, communities embraced it and it has been great for rugby,” Mr Forrest said.
“We have formed the strong foundation needed and look forward to bringing Rapid Rugby’s innovative and entertaining game style back to our region’s growing fan base, with AU$1 million in prize money.”
In a reflection of the strength of this announcement, Western Force Head Coach Tim Sampson, and Captain Ian Prior, have re-signed to lead the team.
Foundation team, Western Force, will remain a central pillar of the 2020 competition.
Confirmation of Rapid Rugby’s inaugural home-and-away season comes as Australia prepares to play an historic Bledisloe Cup contest against New Zealand before a record 65,000 strong crowd in Perth, Western Australia.
Mr Forrest took the opportunity to remind Rugby Australia that while Western Australia was proud to host the contest, the one-off event was not enough to secure the future of the game in the state.
“Saturday night’s turnout will be a timely reminder to the nation that Western Australia is a critical part of the future of rugby not just in this country but across the entire region,” he said.
“It’s the people of Western Australia that have kept the sport alive in this state – they have continued to form the Sea of Blue, they have backed Rapid Rugby, they will demonstrate amazing support for the Wallabies here tomorrow night and prove to Rugby Australia that WA will always be a Force in this game.”
https://www.rapidrugby.com/rapid-rug...yD1-gR6j06n6EA
#FU ARU
"May I assure you I have just begun to fight mate" Twiggy Forrest, 05/09/17
It would be great for the spectacle and for the competition if the participants were competitive. I realise Twiggy's $1 million would be best returned to him, but let's at least have more competitive than not.
Agreed. It is one of the reasons the seeming inaction on the recruitment front is so concerning. It is important that the standard be good, but critical that all the teams be genuinely competitive. We can only hope there is some sort of coordination to ensure that is the case, along with time before the start of the season for the various teams to gel properly.
Andy, We are measuring the other GRR sides against a very well coached, talented, fast and fit Western Force team. I am glad the Force are setting the bar high for the others. Fiji are already competitive and can load their side with a few more returning ""off-island"" players, as can Samoa. While Hong Kong and Singapore were not too far off the mark they will benefit from a proper pre-season training next year, with some more elite recruits. I was disappointed in the Valke, but they know the standard now. The Valke have the whole of South Africa to recruit from and need to get fitter.
I want the GRR to be a high standard competition.
I will be interesting to see how the Force go in the NRC. I am thinking and hoping they belt the other Australian sides.
That is my point; over and above finally bedding down who the teams are (which still doesn't sound settled) and all the associated logistics, I hope they don't lose sight of the need for those teams to be as well coached, with comparable talent, and the time together to not just be as fast and fit, but also as familiar with each other and well organised. That takes money, but it also takes time and the last minute will be too late.
Just creating the comp is half the battle, but it's future relies on it being quality rugby between competitive teams. That will take more than just getting eight teams out on the park and hoping for the best...that is the RA approach, a la the NRC. Thought also needs to be put into how the comp is structured and run to encourage the things you want to see. Both the AFL and NRL have equalisation measures between teams, for instance.
Don't underestimate the benefit of the past 2 years in exposing the capability of the other teams.
Imagine what could have been as you assess what has and will happen.
Next year will further consolidate the GRR concept before potential growth in 2020.
Last edited by andrewg; 10-08-19 at 10:25.
Are you joking, did Twiggy really make this announcement on the Bledisloe weekend in Perth, who would have thought
I would say the end of RWC will see some marquee signings and other teams confirmed for GRR, but then again how would I know when and what he is going to announce![]()
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And he announced it at the Nedlands long lunch, not the one RA was involved in organising.
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
It was announced at the RA/RWA long lunch at Optus Stadium by Tim Sampson
The Battle to Maintain the Pathway For Athletes in Western Australia
Earfulofdirt – Aaron Castro – 16 August 2019
I just spent most of the previous week enjoying everything that Perth, Western Australia, had to offer. It is a beautiful city with amazing cafes on almost every block, sometimes two of them. The people are extremely welcome. They also love their sports, whether that is the Western Force, Perth Glory, or the West Coast Eagles.
A few years ago, the broadcasters forced the realignment of Super Rugby. The Cheetahs and the Kings left the competition, but SARU found them a home in the Pro14. However, attendance for any South African Super Rugby team is atrocious. They've neglected to develop the match day experience for the fan and wonder why revenues haven't gotten better. At the time when the Force were cut they were one of the better supported Australian Super Rugby franchises. Interestingly, their attendance in Rapid Rugby is higher than all of the Australian Super Rugby franchises combined.
After a prolonged legal battle, the Western Force were cut from Super Rugby. As part of that ordeal, mining magnate Andrew Forrest had stepped forward to keep the Force in Super Rugby with financial guarantees but to no avail. Thursday ahead of the match of the Wallabies v. All Blacks Match there was an international referee forum for the Western Australia Referees. By the lapel pins on jackets and shirts, it was clear that this was Force Country.
Raelene Castle stood in front of the room to discuss how Rugby is quite healthy both commercially in Western Australia, noting the Wallabies sold out this fixture in less than 6 days upon opening for ticket sales six months prior. She also discussed the success of the grassroots and the pathway for Women with the Super W having put four WA Natives into the Wallaroos. But notably missing was the lack of acknowledgement of the pathway that is the Western Force. Raelene Castle is the de facto owner of the four Australian Super Rugby franchises. Rapid Rugby is basically a competitor to Super Rugby, yet the purpose of the Force and any other Rapid Rugby franchise in Australia is to create high performance pathways for players and to further commercially develop Rugby Union in Australia.
The following day, Andrew Forrest held a press conference where he guaranteed the launch of Rapid Rugby in season 3. Rapid Rugby was held as an exhibition in 2018 called World Series Rugby, and entered it's first season under the Rapid Rugby brand this year. The Force still played a few exhibitions, but Season 3 will be a 14 week schedule. What that looks like? They've got some work to do. Following the Western Force match last Friday Night I sat down with the Head of Rugby, Matt Hodgson whom is the most capped all-time Western Force player.
For Matt, he understands a lot of the pressure that is on his shoulders. Being granted the task of developing a competition across Oceania that will be sustainable. Not only in Australia but across Oceania. The teams in this year's showcase Series: South China Tigers, Asia Pacific Dragons, Fijian Latui, Samoa Kagifa, and the Malaysian Valke will likely form the backbone of a full 14 Week season in Rapid Rugby. Matt's job is to guide each of the new franchises towards commercial sustainability so that they do not need central funding. But having each one of these franchises themselves is important for each Nation to gain a local high performance pathway. Before the Fijian Drua, there was no local high performance pathway in Fiji. Before the Kagifa there was no high performance pathway in Samoa.
The Malaysian Valke, were mostly built off the Currie Cup Valke. But as Rudy Joubert stated, they have an intent to grow rugby in Malaysia as they integrated several Malaysian Rugby players into the side during their training in Perth. Those players [Badrul Bin Muktee and Samuel Meran] took the pitch and played considerable minutes contributing at a high level.
One of the things that Matt and I spoke about were the rule changes. World Rugby has looked at various competitions to execute law trials around the globe. One of those most famously has been the Varsity Cup in South Africa. But as he stated: "Where in the world is there a professional competition that has the willingness to experiment, a large competition that will adapt." That is where Rapid Rugby sees itself in the space. A place where they will build new performance pathways for countries that do not have them, do them sustainably, and work with World Rugby on various initiatives. One of those, the Power Try. Prior to watching the Force score the Power Try I had some apprehension about the rules in place. When you watched the tempo that the Force executed to score a Power Try, it was like watching a Football team execute a 2-minute drill out of the spread offense. Was gloriously exciting.
I asked Tim Sampson about the change in scoring and kicking rules and how that affected him as a strategist. Did that require him to be more innovative in his attack shapes and game plans with a follow up of how that will change his planning for the next National Rugby Championship Campaign. He stated that it did and they will attempt to continue this high flying attack into the NRC and play a fast and exciting brand. I also asked if this became a more fun style to play, because it seemed like a more fun style to watch. Western Force's captain Jeremy Thrush stated that it was.
When you look at the promotion of the Western Force match. It was an event, it wasn't just a game. There was pre-kickoff entertainment with a youth club match before the Force v. Valke, there was also the Royal Australian Band performing during this period. At the half-time (pre-match of main game), Sam Perry, the winner of The Voice Australia Season 7 performed at half-time, with a full ensemble of backup dancers as part of the show. The introduction when the players hit the pitch, the stadium went dark as the individual players were announced, then smoke and flame throwers went off as each entered the pitch. To say it was like an NFL game might be right on target. In attendance that night were over twelve thousand to watch their Force. (It was actually ~8,500)
https://www.earfulofdirt.com/2019/08...RHtdkAlWuRxto\
Earfulofdirt: A weekly livestream and podcast focused on the growth of Major League Rugby, professional rugby union in the United States.
The Force really really really have to win the NRC this year! Apart from shoving it down RA’s neck, it will give credibility to Rapid Rugby and how well the team has developed. Am sick of comments that the Force are only 2nd rate team playing poorer teams, and that its not Super standard-how’s that standard working out for you guys so far RA? I notice the Rebs have put together a big squad for the NRC which seems to include most of the Super team, so Wessels must be thinking (or being told more like) they’ll be winning the NRC. This will be an important challenge for the Force.
As far as Castle’s concerned, I have yet to be convinced or seen any real evidence of action supporting the blather.
I take it all of the non Super Rugby players in the Rising squad are going to get paid.
'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
No love for the DockersOriginally Posted by Fidel Castro
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The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor