The NSW Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by RugbyWA to keep the Western Force in Super Rugby, but billionaire backer Andrew Forrest said that the club "could still fight the matter in the High Court," according to Tom Decent of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Justice David Hammerschlag dismissed the appeal against an arbitration ruling in favor of the Australian Rugby Union that allowed the governing body to "cut the Force from the Super Rugby competition." The decision was based on a "contractual interpretation regarding an alliance agreement" that would have kept the Force in Super Rugby until '20. Forrest: "I have retained one of Australia's leading silks, Allan Myers AC, QC, who will review today's decision. ... I've just begun to fight, mate" (SMH, 9/5).
'IPL OF RUGBY': In London, Jamie Smyth reported Forrest is aiming to revolutionize rugby by establishing a new "Indo-Pacific" tournament to rival Super Rugby. The billionaire's plan to create an "Indian Premier League of rugby" follows the ARU's decision to axe the Western Force from Super Rugby. The axing -- "attributed to a cash crunch affecting the sport in the country -- comes amid a deepening governance crisis in Australian rugby." Forrest: "This is not a great day for the ARU, this is a great day for Australian rugby. Discussions have commenced across the world and within our own state and country to ensure this competition starts and starts strongly." He outlined plans to create a new competition that would "recruit top players for six teams based in Perth, Hong Kong, Singapore and possibly China." A steering committee has been established to draw up a business plan for the venture, "which would aim to sell broadcast rights across the region" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 9/5). REUTERS' Stutchbury & Ransom reported Forrest "angrily declared" the Force "would live on in his new tournament." He said, "This is the beginning of the new Force, this is the beginning of the new Indo-Pacific competition and I am delighted to be an instigator of it." RugbyWA "had vowed to fight for Force's survival through the courts with the support of Forrest." The state's premier "has also threatened to sue the ARU over public funds spent on the Force's home stadium," while federal lawmakers have called for inquiries over the team's axing (REUTERS, 9/5).
OUTSIDE THE BOX: In Sydney, Decent also reported details of the breakaway league "are expected to be released in the coming days but Forrest was happy to spruik the new competition." Forrest said that "there was support from the ARU to think outside the box." He said, "We've spoken to ARU directors and they have been very supportive of someone having the horsepower to grow rugby across the Indo-Pacific, and I can assure them of my determination. SANZAAR has been a very clear mistake for Australian rugby. I would not be surprised [if Australian teams walked away from SANZAAR], and I would be encouraging South Africa and New Zealand and the other teams to come across" (SMH, 9/5). The AAP reported Force player Matt Hodgson "broke down in tears before the media on Tuesday." He vowed to help Forrest launch the new competition, but Force players "may now leave the franchise in droves in order to join a rival Super Rugby franchise." Forrest "urged them to hold fire for at least a few days until he unveils more details of his grand plan." Force coach Dave Wessels "was unsure whether he would remain." Wessels, "who would be in high demand elsewhere," said that he "would talk with his family before making a decision" (AAP, 9/4).
HARSH WORDS: Decent also reported Hodgson's tearful press conference, "where he well and truly put the boot into" the ARU, "painted a picture of despair as the club prepares to be officially axed from Super Rugby." Hodgson said, "You see in the back [of the room] people now. You see what it means to people. You're here 12 years serving a state, serving a country and they take it away because of a stupid lettering of the law. Pity the ARU didn't fight for us." Asked whether players "would look to sign with other clubs given how bleak the Force's future looked," Hodgson said, "Everyone wants to play for the Western Force. You want to see how solid we are after 140-plus days. There has been no leaks in our ship so we are fighting hard." WA Premier Mark McGowan "took his chance to stick the knife into the ARU." He said, "I hope Andrew [Forrest] carries out his threat [of a breakaway competition] and I hope the ARU suffers as a consequence" (SMH, 9/5). ARU Chair Cameron Clyne "delivered a blunt message to the Western Force." Clyne: "There's been a lot of opportunities for RugbyWA. We stepped in there and bailed them out 18 months, two years ago because no one else came forward. I'm really frustrated and disappointed that there was obviously a desire late in the piece to provide support. I just don't understand why RugbyWA didn't contact Andrew Forrest in April" (SMH, 9/5).
DIRE STRAITS: In Sydney, Jamie Pandaram reported the ARU said that it faced a potential A$26M ($20.8M) black hole and "insolvency within two years" if it continued with five Super Rugby teams. The governing body released financial modeling compiled by former CFO Todd Day on its dire situation after the Western Force "were officially cut." So "startling is the ARU’s financial situation," it said that it "would have been forced to go into receivership" by the end of '19 had it "persisted with five franchises." The ARU dismissed the offer of Forrest's A$50M ($40M) rescue package because it was "not specific," and because SANZAAR rejected a 16-team model (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 9/5). In Hong Kong, Sam Agars reported the Hong Kong Rugby Union is "open to taking part" in Forrest's breakaway rugby competition, its chief rugby operations officer, Dai Rees, said on Tuesday. While there is "no confirmation as yet that Hong Kong will be involved," Rees said that the union would "be silly not to listen" to what the billionaire businessman has to say. Rees: "We'd be crazy not to look at it, it's a seven-hour flight to Perth and it's in the same time zone. When you look around the world at other opportunities, that's not a long flight" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 9/5).
