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Allow me to be absolutely frank on this subject. Many hours have been spent looking at options. Secession being one, amalgamation with another Union e.g. Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia being number 2 and finally remaining with RA.
To go it alone - a la Wales, Scotland etc requires endorsement from World Rugby and feedback suggest that is highly unlikely as RA has quite some influence on member Unions. We would therefore need to invest countless hours and money to lobby the Northern Unions and others to allow us to become a new stand alone member Union. We need this sanction if we are to play the game with or against other Unions.
Merging with another Union would also require endorsement from World Rugby - the question is then what can we gain from such a merger? Whose identity for the rep team do we take?, where are we based and who has majority board or shares (influence).
We are Australian and our kids want to play for the Wallabies. That is the overwhelming feedback. People still go on and on about us sending money to RA - LET ME SAY, that is not the case. A player's subs paid to a community club is made up of the Insurance component - which RA has blanket cover with Gow Gates and the portion of subs goes through Rugby Link to the Insurer. The second portion which covers RugbyWA competition management comes right back to RugbyWA and the balance goes right back to the club. If you want to show RA the bird - then let their sponsors know, do not go to test matches, unsubscribe from Foxtel and do not buy merchandise.
Just because of a handful of myopic, vengeful, and narrow minded people leading an Organisation where the vast majority are incredibly dedicated people, we should react by seceding is not sensible. Pulver is gone, Castle will hear from us, Clyne will go, as will a few others on the board.
We will actually come out of this a lot stronger than those cretins expected. Our high performance academy will still be the best in the country, our Western Force is back in our hands and we can play NRC and also international matches. Andrew and his team have been absolutely fantastic in supporting us. IPRC will play in 2019 and my feeling is that we shall make it such a success that in 2021 we get to choose who from the other States and Countries should join "our competition". Be sad to limit Australian teams in our comp in 2021 to perhaps the Reds and Brumbies, plus the Western Force - wouldn't it!!!! Look..that last sentence from me is a bit vengeful isn't it and unlikely to happen.....
If I was very vindictive which I can be maybe a team to a new team out of South Aus and no spot for victorians.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Back on the topic of ASIC, this media release about a CEO being prosecuted for providing false and misleading info to the company's board of directors is very interesting......
http://asic.gov.au/about-asic/media-...g-information/
"18-016MR Former Australian Bight Abalone CEO convicted over false and misleading information
Mr Andrew Ferguson, the former Chief Executive Officer of abalone farmer, Australian Bight Abalone (ABA), was today found guilty on 17 counts related to providing false or misleading information to the ABA Board of Directors and prospective investors following a jury trial in the District Court of South Australia.
Following an ASIC investigation, Mr Ferguson was charged with nine counts of disseminating false or misleading information to prospective investors, via grower reports, product disclosure statements and a media release issued by ABA during 2007 and 2008. The jury found that these documents contained false or misleading information about survival rates of the abalone and harvest prospects.
The remaining eight counts were related to providing false or misleading information to the directors of ABA, in reports submitted to the Board about operations at the ABA farm.
During the trial, the jury heard from a number of witnesses involved in the farming operation including marine biologists, operational staff, divers and former directors.
Acting ASIC Chair Peter Kell said, "Company officers are in a position of critical responsibility and trust, and it is expected that their behaviour is beyond reproach. This verdict sends an important signal that misleading investors will not be tolerated."
The matter has been listed for sentencing submissions before the District Court of South Australia on 18 April 2018.
Mr Ferguson's bail was today revoked and he has been remanded in custody. Mr Ferguson faces a maximum of five years' imprisonment and/or a fine of $22,000 for each count.
The matter is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
Background
ABA was Australia's largest off-shore abalone farmer, raising about $44 million from 1400 investors over four years. ABA operated an abalone farm in off-shore cages located near Elliston in South Australia between 2005 and 2009. The company also operated managed investment schemes (MIS), through which investors acquired interests in abalone grown at the farm, entitling them to returns from the sale of harvested abalone.
The initial MIS project was offered to wholesale investors only in 2005, but a MIS was offered to retail investors in each subsequent year between 2006 and 2009.
Administrators (McGrath Nicol) were appointed to ABA in July 2009 after the company had been able to undertake only a limited harvest of the abalone stock. The Administrators reported that a survey conducted of the abalone stock at the farm suggested significantly higher mortality than had been expected.
Mr Ferguson pleaded not guilty to the charges against him."
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Nice work Alison
The truth may set you free, but only evidence convicts
Well that's interesting. The Rat's Arse game plan always seemed to be a simple one: cut the Force and throw Pulver under the bus when it's done. Simple. Unless of course, there is a prosecution. All the skeletons would then come stampeding out of the closet. They didn't see that one coming, I reckon. Here's hoping.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
In addition to sabotaging the Own The Force scheme preventing investors buying in - surely that would carry some weight in terms of interfering with trade.
Reynolds should have nailed that angle but unfortunately she was limited to time. They could have scheduled another hearing and called in Cox, Gray and Hawkins. Those three were up for the picking.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Now allow me to be absolutely Fulvio on this subject.
We appear to be playing the ARU's game; leave it for 6 mths for the dust to settle and the west aussies will fall back into being a sub-servient, do as you're told, out of sight - out of mind bunch of red-necks miles from HQ who we will pay lip-service to when we want something from them.
We are "West Australian" and our kids don't necessarily want to play for the ARU's team (can't even say the word anymore); our kids should aspire to playing for WA and tour the region and if good enough play pro or amateur rugby in any of 200 countries in the world, taking good advantage of the internationality of the game; just as your son did Hansie.
Hansie, the ARU still have full transparency on WA registrations so they have control. Anyone who's received an email a week from the ARU as a former Force member or clubby realises that we are in "their system" and we shouldn't be. We should dictate when and how we communicate with that mob and what we decide to participate in.
West Australians are to Australia what the Catalans are to Spain. Never forgive, never forget.
Right now and it seems our lot in life going forward is that WA will be beholding to that mob for everything; even if a wa club or school wants to tour interstate or overseas we have to ask their permission.
Bollocks I say, take whatever scraps they think we are worthy of and plot to piss them off; we need to take charge of our own destiny.
The IPRC should have been set up out of Singapore. The way it is now the ARU will have enough control to control by remote the IPRC's future. A real pity that when the IPRC broadcast deal is being established, the ARU will be at the negotiation table; and they shouldn't be even in the building.
We have an ideal opportunity now to plan our future; putting our independence On Hold is not an option otherwise it will be back to the future for us.
Seize the moment Hansie.
PS Apologies to Fulvio
PPS I have recently cancelled my plans for the RWC in Japan as I don't have a team participating any more. Instead I'm building up my enthusiasm and dollars for some trips to exotic parts of Asia to support the Force in the IPRC; rugby the way it should be and it will be fun. The last few years paying for test matches for the ARU's team was done out of a misguided sense of loyalty; never again.
Last edited by Darkness; 20-01-18 at 14:17.
I am really a Palmyra troll.
Well said. If the other unions apart from the Rebels had the option that the Force has they would have done it years ago.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Brilliant post. Bang on the money. Alot of us dont care for the ARU or the Wallabies anymore, its only our leaders that seem to back that sentiment. Most of us want to move on, just look at the results of the poll on the side bar, its obvious we are done with the ARU, well all of us except RugbyWA!