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Good little summary here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...&ct=clnk&gl=au
"The closing down sale was in full swing. Blue jerseys — let’s just say they were heavily discounted — were walking out the door. The staff didn’t care, not that they were staff any more. Who would have thought that after crying so many tears in recent months, there would be any more left to cry. And yet there were.
The deed is done but there is still one final stocktake to finish. So let’s get on with it ...
This is where the Australian Rugby Union’s five-into-four campaign has taken us. In February, when the vote was taken to ditch a Super Rugby side if that’s what SANZAAR, in its infinite wisdom, decided to do, the ARU were portraying themselves as nimble and agile. Goodness, they were veritable ninjas in the way they danced around the questions: Have you determined to cut a team and, if so, which one?
The word is that when SANZAAR assembled in March in London to discuss cuts, the name “Western Force” was being bandied around quite freely. But the ARU reassures us that this was not the case.
It all gets a bit messy from here, so let’s hit the fast-forward button ... a deadline of 48 to 72 hours is announced; Brumbies, Rebels and Force named as candidates for the cut; Brumbies excused; Force unceremoniously toss ARU hatchet team out on to the street; Rebels and Force play pass the parcel in terms of favouritism while at home their wives are at wit’s end; the Victorian Rugby Union and the Rugby Union Players Association bring on an emergency general meeting; nothing happens; other states reaffirm “five into four”; ARU demands “best and final offer” from the two teams; some confusion over whether Force sent back a satisfactory reply; Force thrash Waratahs in their final game; Rebels refinance; Andrew Cox sells team for $1 to the VRU; arbitration ruling goes badly for Force; ARU discontinues them; Force appeal; Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest offers ARU anything up to $50 million to get off the Force’s back; ARU politely declines; appeal goes badly, Force sacked again, this time permanently; Twiggy announces a new competition; ARU initially ignores it; Senate inquiry announced, which comes as a surprise to the ARU; first hearing set down for September 20 in Perth.
A few details may have been lost in condensing the plot and the chronology might be a bit messed up because, frankly, it’s all become a blur. But that’s pretty much it. Except for the emotional damage to the game and the people in it which is, well, pretty much total.
Western Australia has now sunk back into the pack of “southern states”, along with Tasmania and South Australia and the Northern Territory. It no longer has a Super Rugby team, therefore it no longer has an extra vote. But it seemingly will have a board member, assuming any West Australian can be found by the October 6 deadline willing to fill Geoff Stooke’s vacancy. Today is Mark Sinderberry’s first as an ex-CEO of the Force. Or it might be next Tuesday. It’s all been so chaotic he’s not entirely sure.
Meanwhile, Twiggy has been busy ...
He thinks about it and decides $50m really isn’t enough. Decides on $200m, which is less than half the dividend cheque he will receive from iron ore this year. And, dammit, he’s supposed to be giving away his fortune, not amassing a new one. But there is a remedy for that. Rugby.
He is inundated with interest in his new competition. Makes him think that rugby was crying out for his arrival, irrespective of the Force’s dilemma. NZ provincial sides make contact, so too the South Africans, including one offer from a Super Rugby side that’s supposed to be playing in SANZAAR’s competition. Two prominent Japanese company teams get in touch. So, too, the *Pacific island rugby powers. So, too, Eden Park. Broadcasters showing interest, even the Chinese giant Alibaba.
The media is hounding him to release details, but he’s not going to be rushed. One of the reasons he does not intend to be rushed is that he plans to make his competition compatible with the ARU. He *figures there has been enough angst already and he wants to ensure that, whatever he does, it won’t impact on the players. They’ve suffered enough.
At his instigation, he meets with Michael Cheika in Perth. The meeting goes so well they agree to meet a second time. Cheika asks about his plans. Twiggy asks what he can do to help the Wallabies. Cheika, curiously, is in his *element. As a former coach of Stade Francais, he is used to speaking to tycoons. They’re called owners over in French rugby. He knows their language.
With luck, this is how all future meetings between Twiggy and ARU heavyweights should be conducted. Perhaps it is too late to save Twiggy’s relationship with ARU chairman Cameron Clyne — there are, apparently, only so many times you can call for a man’s resignation before the rapport breaks down entirely. But certainly the Brett Robinsons and John Ealeses can show the way. Perhaps they might ask Twiggy to fill the vacant position on the ARU board.
However rocky the road has been until now, Australian rugby needs the sort of help Twiggy can offer. Learn from history. In the end, the Australian Cricket Board came to terms with Kerry Packer but surely rugby can be significantly smarter in dealing with Twiggy without the need for outright war. No one wins if things turn hostile. It’s time for peace.
Rugby is changing dramatically. If the Force are sensible, they will advise their players not to sign any long-term contracts before the end of the SANZAAR broadcast agreement in 2020. If the Sharks head to Europe, this could be the tipping point for the South Africans. They might all decide to head that way. So it might very well be that the Western Force need to reassemble with alacrity over the next year or two to fill a gap. Super Rugby’s usefulness may be coming to an end.
For the moment, however, the only end in sight is that of the magnificent social experiment that became known as the Western Force. Sadly, unnecessarily, it all ends today. But hopefully in a stadium awash with blue jerseys."
Supporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
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Originally Posted by Jules
