Where to for Twiggy Rugby?

[ForceFan]

Good support from Scott Robertson after his latest trip to Perth.......

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson lauds Western Force owner and World Series Rugby
JUSTIN CHADWICK - June 23 2018 - https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has heaped praise on Andrew Forrest, labelling the billionaire mining magnate a great man for saving the Western Force.

The Force faced extinction when they were axed from Super Rugby at the end of last season, but Forrest resurrected them by launching World Series Rugby (WSR).

The Crusaders got a taste of WSR on Friday night when they pummelled the Force 44-8 in front of 14,259 fans at nib Stadium.
The Force are only playing exhibition games this year, but WSR will turn into a proper competition format in 2019, taking in teams from the Asia Pacific region.

Robertson was blown away by the local interest in WSR, saying the crowd size and entertainment spectacle was good for the game.

And he saved his biggest praise for Forrest.
"Great men always step up when needed, and he has," Robertson said.
"Rugby is really strong here still. I think this concept is great. You saw the amount of people who turned up and how passionate they were when the turmoil happened and the decision was being made (to axe the Force).
"So for them to stay alive, you've got to give it to Andrew Forrest."

The future of Super Rugby remains up in the air beyond the end of the current broadcast deal in 2020.
Robertson was reluctant to give his opinion on what he thinks is in store for Super Rugby but he does want to see the Force thrive, saying he misses them.
"It is such a strong-grass roots community of rugby here," Robertson said.
"I didn't really realise it until I was driving around all the beaches and seeing all the rugby clubs on the way to a surf."

WSR is experimenting with several rule changes.
One of them is offering seven-point 'Power Tries' for any attacks that start within the defensive 22m.
The Crusaders registered the first ever Power Try when Mitchell Drummond scored in the sixth minute.
They will now turn their attention back to Super Rugby, where they are aiming to win consecutive titles, and the currently sit on top of the table with a 12-2 record ahead of facing the Highlanders in Christchurch on July 6.

"After winning it last year ... great teams back it up," Robertson replied when asked about the team's goal.
"That's a challenge for us, and something we really embrace."
The Force next face a Samoa representative side on July 14.

 

[Dan54]

Glad it went well and kudos to Razor for his good positive comments!

 

[ForceFan]

RUGBY: THE REGION’S GAME CHANGER​

Andrew Forrest believes his new international rugby competition is a unique opportunity to bind the Asia-Pacific region together.​

The Press - PWC Australia​

It’s not just love of the game driving billionaire businessman Andrew Forrest to launch a new rugby competition. Nor is it vengeance, after the Super Rugby competition booted Rugby WA’s Western Force out of the competition last year.

Forrest is a passionate believer that rugby is a game changer for the Asia-Pacific region. It just makes sense, he says. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for about 60 per cent of the world’s population and is largely covered by the same time zone. “We have an opportunity to bind the region together through rugby, which is a highly collegiate sport,” he tells The Press.
........................
Forrest says by 2019 he expects the Western Force will be playing in World Series Rugby and beating some of the best teams in the world. “We want to have created a successful product watched by millions of people, bringing families and communities together, here and in Asia, and have more young people learning the game,” he says. “It’s a bold vision but life is full of big challenges and there is nothing ahead of us that we don’t think we can achieve.”

https://www.pwc.com.au/publications...-changer.html?icid=press6-talent-andrewforest

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Glad to see this bit in that article - what it all means I don't know...Guess I will have to wait and see....
------------------
Forrest says constructive talks with Rugby Australia, which manages Australia’s involvement in the Super Rugby competition, are continuing. He described new chief executive Raelene Castle as “a breath of fresh air”. “I think we are making progress,” he says. “The Force has been really co-operative and patient, so we needed to keep the train rolling.”

 

[half]

Warning warning warning, if blue swearing offend don't listen.

Gotta be the Force run on song. Its an Irish band and only the Irish could get away with this, the second verse maybe insert Mr Cameron's name.

Warning warning lots and lots and lots of blue swearing, don't listen if that will offend.

IMO the new Force run on song.

 

[Aurelius]

I'm partial to this one myself. I think it sums up the attitude the WA rugby community has to RA in general.

(Yes, I know it's really a Steve Harley song, but Quatro's style would probably be more mainstream these days.)

EDIT: Putting way too much thought into this, if you tweak the lyrics just a little bit, it's pretty much perfect:

You've done it all,
You've broken our great code,
And pulled the Force to the floor,
You've spoiled the game,
No matter what you say,
For only money, what a bore,
Blue eyes, blue eyes,
How come you tell so many lies?

 

[chibimatty]

I want them to play this song when the Wild Knights run onto the field! And repeat the chorus when they score tries!!!

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Wonder when we will see details of WSR competition for next year. I suspect after NRC completed and games against Samoa, HK and Wild Knights potentially part of the due diligence for these teams possible entry into the competition. Been very quiet on that front.

 

[kiap]

Been very quiet on that front.

I suspect that WSR is not going to be based out of Australia.

The Force still will be but the comp won't.

 

[kiap]

Still ticking over in the background.

Force keeping faith in World Series Rugby​

​

By AAP, 10 Jul 2018​

​

Western Force skipper Ian Prior is confident there will be a World Series Rugby competition next year, saying the players are keeping the faith in billionaire Andrew Forrest.​

​

The Force’s future looked bleak when they were axed from Super Rugby at the end of last season. But Forrest revived the franchise with the launch of World Series Rugby, and he has big plans for the future.​

​

The Force have played four exhibition games in front of big crowds so far this year with another three games to come. But the true test will come next year when WSR converts into a proper competition format featuring up to eight teams from the Asia Pacific region.​

​

Organisers hope to announce further details shortly after the August 17 clash between the Force and the Panasonic Wild Knights at nib Stadium.​

​

As it stands players are still in the dark as to the finer points of what WSR will look like next year. But Prior said the players weren’t in any doubt it will go ahead.​

​

“We’ve been getting some feedback that next year is going to go ahead,” Prior said. “We should have some more clarity over the next couple of months.​

​

“But from what we’ve heard, there’s been some encouraging signs with discussions … with other teams. The positive signs are there. We’ve just got to keep our faith in them, and make sure we keep working hard on the field.”​

​

Prior said the players were comforted knowing they had Forrest backing them. “It was a leap of faith (from the players) coming here to start with,” Prior said.​

​

“But you’ve seen how quickly World Series Rugby has come together. And seeing how involved Andrew is and how keen he is to get the whole World Series Rugby off the ground and running as the premier competition in the world is quite exciting.”​

​

The Force will be back in action on Saturday night when they take on a Samoan representative side at nib Stadium.​

​

https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/07/10/force-keeping-faith-in-world-series-rugby/

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Yeh saw that article in daily telegraph Kiap...certainly keeping plans for WSR in 2019 under wraps as no leaks of what it will look like. I would be surprised if they started with 8 teams as would have thought start with 6 and then grow but who knows what is planned....

 

[ForceFan]

I reckon 8 teams - which means 14 games + finals.
I also hear that a couple of surprises in the teams involved.
Should be an interesting announcement in August.

 

[The Honey Badger]

I reckon 8 teams - which means 14 games + finals.
I also hear that a couple of surprises in the teams involved.
Should be an interesting announcement in August.

Any more Aus sides?

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[Rugbynutter39]

I reckon 8 teams - which means 14 games + finals.

I also hear that a couple of surprises in the teams involved.

Should be an interesting announcement in August.

Care to share what you are hearing on team surprises ForceFan…..

 

[ForceFan]

Care to share what you are hearing on team surprises ForceFan…..

You know what I know.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Should be an interesting announcement in August.

Hopefully the teams themselves know who's in and have started signing players up

Will be tough recruiting any existing pros from other comps if they leave it to August



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[ForceFan]

I suspect that WSR is not going to be based out of Australia.

The Force still will be but the comp won't.

I know that there must be a lot happening behind the scenes but there is one major factor which confirms to me that we have to get out from under any level of control/intervention/frustration from Rugby Australia - and that's the refereeing of the modified rules.

The refs are currently being provided under Rugby Australia.
There is no doubt in my mind that they are under instruction and/or they are being judged against suitability to ref Super Rugby.

For the first game (against Fiji), the ref from Brisbane, (sorry I can't remember his name) did a fair job of trying to accommodate/integrate the rule mods esp related to scrums and lineouts in an effort to speed up the game.

Since then it's been a case of the refs actively ignoring the major rule mods - esp those related to the scrums.

It was very noticeable under Will Huiston (who just reffed the games like a normal Super Rugby game - in my view badly.)
Last night Graham Cooper did exactly the same and was even more anal about resetting scrums.
Despite the wet conditions the aim is to give a quick penalty in an endeavour to increase the amount of ball-in-play time.

I hope that Cooper tries harder for the last two games - esp against Panasonic which is the chance to get a glimpse of what WSR could be next year.

It will only be when we can break the Rugby Australia shackles that WSR will really start to move forward.
I see little alternative but for WSR 2019 to be based off-shore
May it happen soon so we can start developing and promoting the new way forward as the Super Rugby model is so broken.

 

[ForceFan]

Hopeful that this is just a hint of what's to come from World Series Rugby in 2019......

https://www.facebook.com/westernforce/videos/1827434547295286/

 

[wamberal]

Today's "Sydney Morning Herald" is reporting that there is a match planned for August 25 in Perth, the Western Force against the "Australian Country Stockmen". The latter side would be made up of club and regional players.


Sounds like a great idea to me. A bit of constructive disruption is a good thing.

 

[Sully]

The Stockmen have been around for a while. Sort of a 50-50 between invites and apply for a position. You usually travel at you own expense from memory but I'm assuming the force is picking up the tab on this one.

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