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Why am I not surprised by this
Western Force player poaching for Global Rapid Rugby ‘can’t be bad’, according to Scott Johnson
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Friday, 31 January 2020 4:44PM
Rugby Australia director of rugby Scott Johnson is happy to see Western Force players poached by Super Rugby clubs.
Johnson said Global Rapid Rugby has an important role to play in Australian rugby and was not surprised how quickly the Force re-invented itself after being controversially axed ahead of the Melbourne Rebels.
“At the moment there is not a place for the Force in Super Rugby, we are seeing players transferring into Super Rugby and it’s important that we keep relationships with them,” Johnson said.
“The west has certainly got on the front foot.
“Anything that encourages growth and is done properly can’t be bad for the sport.”
Force players are eligible for the Wallabies but the club faces a challenge holding onto them.
Six Force players were lost to Super clubs and overseas at the end of last GRR Showcase Series. The Rebels have two of them among 12 ex-Force players in their squad for today’s Super clash with the Sunwolves.
Johnson was in Perth with former Force captain and Wallaby Nathan Sharpe for the announcement that Optus Stadium would host Wallabies Tests against the Springboks and All Blacks in the next two years.
“It’s no secret that Australian rugby is going through a tough time and to see the Force creating their own ecosystem and building something that contributes to Australian ruby is a real positive,” Sharpe said.
“The landscape is changing pretty quickly in Australia. The broadcast deal is up in the air.”
GRR is the brainchild of mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, who was angered when RA axed axing the Force and rejected his $70 million offer to keep the club alive.
The Force will play China Lions, Malaysian Valke, Fijian Latui, Manuma Samoa and Hong-King’s South China Tigers in the $1m GRR debut season that kicks off next month.