0
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/down_dis.png)
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
KURTLEY Beale is hoping the wrath of West Australian rugby fans is not taken out on the Wallabies if the Force are axed before next Saturday’s Perth Test against South Africa.
Beale’s call for support came as the fight between the ARU and WA Rugby turned uglier, with billionaire Force backer Andrew Forrest calling for ARU chairman Cameron Clyne to resign.
Forrest labelled Clyne a liar and said the ARU’s process to cut the Force from Super Rugby was a charade, citing documents that showed legal advice given to the governing body in February suggested it would be easier to cull the Force rather than the Melbourne Rebels.
NSW Supreme Court judge David Hammerschlag is expected to hand down his verdict late this week or next week.
Beale was in Brisbane to launch next year’s Global Tens tournament alongside other Wallabies and All Blacks in a glitzy event that was far removed from the bitter politics and legal battles plaguing Australian rugby.
If the Force are axed before the Test at nib Stadium, the Wallabies will also suffer.
Many fans have already decided to boycott the Test, saying they will not give their money to the ARU. Others have vowed to attend wearing Force jerseys in a show of solidarity.
“I still think we’ve got a lot of strong supporters in Perth, rugby’s been played over there for a long time now and with the Force coming in it gave them a team to support,” Beale said.
“Hopefully we get strong support at nib Stadium, deep down if you love your rugby then you’re hopefully going to enjoy a really good game against the Boks and hopefully we can put in a really good show and build on what we did last week against the ABs.”
WA Rugby appealed the decision of arbitrator Bernard Coles QC, who ruled a new SANZAAR broadcast agreement of 15 teams was legally binding, therefore nullifying a participation agreement between the ARU and Force guaranteeing them survival until December 31, 2020.
Justice Hammerschlag is now deliberating whether to uphold Coles’ decision, or give the Force a lifeline by ruling that their alliance agreement with the ARU is valid, in which case they would remain in the Super competition for the next three seasons.
Forrest recently offered the ARU a deal worth about $50 million to save the Force and inject much-needed money into grassroots rugby, but that was rejected by the ARU because they agreed in April to cut a team as part of SANZAAR’s move to reduce Super Rugby from 18 to 15 teams.
Forrest said he’d seen a legal document that has led him to believe the ARU never seriously considered axing any team other than the Force.
“What I saw in that document dated late February made the whole thing a lie,” Forrest said.
“It shows clearly that in late February this year, the advice was received and taken to cut the Western Force for no other reason apart from legal advice.
“The Western Force was set up to be ambushed ... I call on Cameron Clyne to resign.
“I call on the board of the ARU to drop the charade, keep the Western Force, let’s all move on and make this fabulous game very successful.”
Clyne rejected Forrest’s claims.
“I can only assume that Andrew has been provided with a document that contains some of the analysis that was undertaken by ARU management at the request of the board, to assess the many implications and considerations for exiting each of the three teams we originally assessed, which included the Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels and Western Force,” Clyne said.
“At its April 9, 2017 meeting in Sydney, the ARU board decided to further assess those options for the Force and the Melbourne Rebels.
“Our discussion with the Melbourne Rebels owners had continued until this date, August 4, 2017. It was after this event, on August 4, 2017 that ARU did not have the option to acquire the Melbourne Rebels licence.”
Brisbane Tens tournament chief executive Rachael Carrol said if the Force were axed, they would still invite a team from Western Australia to compete.
After issues with extreme heat earlier this year in the inaugural tournament, the Brisbane Tens will be played in afternoons through the evening on February 9-10.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/kurtley-beale-hoping-force-fans-dont-jeer-wallabies-as-super-rugby-saga-turns-ugly/news-story/8fdb5f36594509579bad22571526ce34
Beale can STFU!!!!
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
FU@K Kurtley Beale
Turn nib into a cauldron for Beale. As per NZ every time he touches the ball "boo"!
This whole thing is killing me I've never Booed at a rugby match in my life but this whole charade has turned me feral!
May the FORCE be with you!
Then do like me and don't go - unless those pricks back off. But if you do go please don't disrespect any players. Even Beale. It's only a couple of days since some of us told X that just would never happen.
Clyne or any other board members are a different matter. But they won't be sticking their heads above the trench, I'll bet London to a brick.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Can't see any Beale quotes on that article talking about jeering? That's a pandaram spin on it, throwing stones at the hornets nest
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
Anyone but Beale would have a chance of being listened to!
Be classy Force.
Be Proud. Be Strong. Wear Blue. Walk Tall.
Well I feel sick to my stomach. I am embarressed and I apologise to every single person who is;
a member of TWF,
a member of the Western Force,
and a supporter of Rugby in Western Australia.
I also wish to apologise to Hansie and JohnEdwards.
Reading that "article" from Pandaram two things came perfectly clear. There is no quote attributed to Kurtley Beale that says he hopes Force fans dont jeer the Wallabies.
There is only one person that mention any jeering of the Wallabies. Me.
I feel used. I feel dirty.
And I am embarrassed that a "journalist" would use my words against Western Force fans like this.
It was never my intention for my words to be used against the Western Force like this.
I am so very sorry.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
Ok I didn't read it and reacted on the headline. This whole business is bringing out the worst in me.
May the FORCE be with you!
Ex, I don't see that article as quoting you.
I haven't seen you say anywhere that individually or collectively the players should be jeered.
Jeering the ARU however is an entirely separate issue, and that needn't be restricted to attending the game. The bastards deserve it.
Anti ARU sentiment is expressed by many people here in WA
Walk into any rugby club and you will hear it from any number of angry, disillusioned and resentful folk.
While they are saying this, my assessment is that the majority of grass roots people will express their contempt for the ARU by simply not attending. I know I won't be. Ever.
If the players are unhappy with this, they will know full well whom to blame.
That headline is grossly misleading, like so many are.
Whether you like Beale or not, he's asking people to support the Team not the institution.
He's not said anything negative about the Force or WA
I could never boo "my own", no matter the circumstance (well maybe if they turn feral and start stomping heads or the like...).
I could dose out a mighty fine serve of the silent treatment though...
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
We support our Force players Kurtley and ill explain why. Our Force players have heart, commitment, humility and are dedicated to Australian Rugby to the point they are taking pay cuts to stay in Australian Rugby. Kurtley, we don't care what you think because you lack heart, you've brought scandal to Australian Rugby by thinking you're bigger then the coach you got fired and you have held Australian Rugby to Ransom by using your English contract to leverage a $1 million a year salary from the ARU whilst at the same time forcing up and comers like McMahon and Magnay to go overseas because the ARU has no money left over from paying your exorbitant wages.
So forgive me Kurtley but i struggle to support the prima donna types we have had over the years who put themselves ahead of the Wallabies and put money ahead of Australian rugby, people like yourself, Brand O'Connor, Quade and Sanchez Genia. I support the Pek Cowans, the Matt Hodgsons, the Ian Priors, the Richard Hardwicks and the Dane Haylett-Pettys of Australian rugby. The guys who sacrifice for rugby, who bleed for Australian rugby who embody the spirit of what it means to be an Australian rugby player.