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Western Force 2021

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
It's a big iron ore port and more recently there has been interest in hydrogen production. I think Twiggy's focus is further North and in QLD, but there have been other companies looking at Geraldton for hydrogen, and he's a pretty major player in that space now so it wouldn't be surprising if he is looking there too.

yeah, with the recent announcements in QLD I suspect the Reds will be looking to engage with him as well. My thinking was this would be part of that similar to Rio Tinto trial match with the Tahs
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
yeah, with the recent announcements in QLD I suspect the Reds will be looking to engage with him as well. My thinking was this would be part of that similar to Rio Tinto trial match with the Tahs
Looks a bit that way, but with McGowan stating the borders will not open to NSW or Vic until some time next year this is also looks like the only trial the Force can organize at this stage.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
timing will be interesting. Super Rugby is set to kick off the weekend of 18 Feb. Reds are playing NSW in Roma the weekend of 11/12 Feb. So this trial is probably the week before that?
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Yeah, I think the WA border will probably be open at that stage, it's just the advance notice that allows them to plan that's missing right now, particularly for something smaller like a trial match.

I do wonder if the Force might end up with some combination of an early bye and a trip to Brisbane to play the Reds and Drua to give them as much wiggle room as possible, given that WA border looks like it's going to be the hardest one going into the start of the competition next year. I guess that also assumes that they don't close it to QLD come December/January when we open up.
 

ForceFan

Peter Fenwicke (45)

Thanks Matt Durrant - About time that the story was comprehensively told.


GOLD DIGGER: The search for Australian rugby​

December 01, 2021 - MATT DURRANT - Season 1 - Episode 26

EPISODE 26: The tale of the Western Force

Show Notes

A historic new expansion that turned into one of Australian rugby’s most bitter civil wars, the Western Force is a franchise that has ridden the rollercoaster of excitement and devastation. This is an episode that looks at how the team came into existence, how Australian rugby and Super Rugby evolved over that time, the inside story of the controversial axing of the team and how the Force managed to rise again from the ashes.

With first hand interviews with former ARU Board director and WA rugby stalwart Geoff Stooke, former Rugby WA chairman Tony Howarth, former ARU CEO John O’Neill and a host of others including clips from the Senate Enquiry into the “Future of Rugby in Australia”, we piece together just what happened to the Western Force and why it still matters today. Get a big cup of coffee, sit back and dig into this gripping yarn.
 
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Tazzmania

Bob Loudon (25)
Growing the grassroots in WA with the help of Nicola and Andrew Forrest


Western Force Cup to change WA rugby landscape:

The Western Force Cup aims to be the premier school-aged rugby competition in the country.

The Western Australian school competition, formerly known as the Rugby Schools Cup, has today been relaunched as the Western Force Cup.

Made possible through the generous support of Dr Andrew Forrest AO and Nicola Forrest AO, the Western Force Cup will see 18 schools from across the Perth metropolitan area compete for the 2022 title.

The competition will take place over an eight-week period between July and September 2022, with Grand Final Day on September 21. Teams will be based across three hubs, including a North, Central and South Zone, with six schools per zone.

Dr Forrest, the Chairman of the Western Force, said the competition would showcase emerging WA talent, increase the accessibility of rugby union and create pathways for boys and girls who wanted to play rugby.

“The change in name reflects the growing prominence of the Western Force. Right throughout the Western Australian community we are building something truly special, and we’re building it from the ground up,” Dr Forrest said.

“Last year, we provided $5 million to create an elite pathways program. This is on top of the $2 million we had already committed to women’s and children’s rugby in WA.

“A thriving rugby community requires a rock-solid foundation, that’s why we’re investing in the grassroots. The boys and girls playing in the Western Force Cup are the lifeblood of our sport in this State and our future champions.”

Read more
 

Tazzmania

Bob Loudon (25)
More exciting news in the West as Nicola and Andrew Forrest set about growing the game in the West


Introducing the Western Force Cup

Nicola and Andrew Forrest announcing the cup

Watch Here



WA rugby makes big push into schools with the launch of the Western Force Cup

From The West:

The junior sporting landscape is set to change with WA Rugby making a big push into schools with the launch of the Western Force Cup.

They tested the appetite for the game this year with the Rugby Schools Cup that attracted nine sides with Aranmore College winning both the boys and girls tournaments.

But next year the newly-named competition has doubled to 18 schools as part of $5 million grassroots-to-eilte pathway funding from mining magnate Andrew Forrest.

Forrest, who saved the Force four years ago after they were controversially axed by Rugby Australia, said the competition would showcase emerging talent, increase the accessibility of rugby and create pathways for boys and girls.

“The change in name reflects the growing prominence of the Western Force,” Forrest said.

“We are building something truly special, and we’re building it from the ground up.

“A thriving rugby community requires a rock-solid foundation, that’s why we’re investing in the grassroots.

“The boys and girls playing in the Western Force Cup are the lifeblood of our sport and our future champions.”

Force chief executive Tony Lewis said: “We are using the branding to reinforce that if you have an ambition, want to follow a professional career, it is inextricably linked to rugby within the state.”

RugbyWA chief executive and former Force and Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles said the tournament was integral to the sustainability of WA rugby.

“The success we had in year one shows what we can do in three, four, five years time.....a competition that’s here for the long term,” Charles said.

Former Wallaby and Force captain Matt Hodgson, now Force rugby manager, said: “We are going to schools that have never picked up the ball.

“This is a unique opportunity, something I wish I’d had at school, a clear pathway going into a representative team.

“Give it four or five years and you will see players graduate from the Western Force Cup into the Western Force team.”

The competition will be played by 13-14 year-olds who will progress into higher age groups.

It will be played on Wednesday’s July to September to allow youngsters to play for their local clubs at weekends, which PSA players are not allowed to do.
 
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ForceFan

Peter Fenwicke (45)
RugbyWA has done a very good job expanding the number of schools for 2022.
3 more to make the targeted 18.
Big focus on the population growth corridors to North & South as well as rugby heartland (Central).

There appears to be some uncertainty about the number of clubs that will be in the Fortescue Premier comp in 2022.
With the results shown by the lower half of the table in 2021 this isn't really surprising.
The axing of the Western Force (4 years ago) and Covid travel restrictions over the past 2 seasons have left a toll.

265523051_10158587059922879_1224034967991184104_n.jpg
 
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WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
RugbyWA has done a very good job expanding the number of schools for 2022.
3 more to make the targeted 18.
Big focus on the population growth corridors to North & South as well as rugby heartland (Central).

There appears to be some uncertainty about the number of clubs that will be in the Fortescue Premier comp in 2022.
With the results shown by the lower half of the table in 2021 this isn't really surprising.
The axing of the Western Force (4 years ago) and Covid travel restrictions over the past 2 seasons have left a toll.

View attachment 12823
Didn't they say there were 18 schools? Regardless it's good to see. And hopefully we'll see it grow further from 2023 and beyond.
 
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