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Mebee. But I've heard quite a few radio ads too - and I spend bugger all time driving these days. I'm also impressed with all the banner advertising around the place. I really don't recall this much Force promotion in all the Super Rugby years. I'm trusting that Minderoo is as it seems - a can-do organisation and just looking forward to Game 1.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Western Force/ World Series ads all over 6PR this morning. The prize for callback callers today on Gareth Parker’s program is tickets to the May the 4th game. This is awesome to hear, but talk back about it needs to be generated so it is on the top of everyone’s mind and people know for sure the Force is back.
MESSAGE FROM THE JOINT PATRON OF RUGBYWA – GEOFFREY STOOKE OAM
At the recent Annual General Meeting of RugbyWA, I had the privilege of being elected to the position of Joint Patron of RugbyWA. It is also a privilege that I share the position with my fellow Joint Patron, Malcolm McCusker AC CVO- a distinguished Western Australian and passionate rugby supporter.
The events of the past twelve months have been very difficult and challenging for the Western Australian rugby community and the Western Australian community in general. The loss of the Western Force from the Super Rugby competition was a devastating blow to rugby in Western Australia and it resulted in rugby losing any legitimacy to having a truly national footprint.
A feeling of loss was felt by many and my feeling of loss was profound, given I was Chairman of RugbyWA for twenty-three years and Chaired the Committee that successfully bid in 2004 for the fourth Australian Super Rugby team to be based in Perth. I also resigned from the Board of the Australian Rugby Union (now Rugby Australia) following the announcement on 11 August 2017 to remove the Western Force. Importantly, I did this because I believed the process to remove a team was manifestly flawed and not simply because of the outcome.
However, that is now history and we in Western Australia must move on and we must ensure the future of rugby in Western Australia. This includes the future of elite rugby in Western Australia and the development and maintenance of rugby pathways for all rugby participants in our state- men, women, boys and girls. We can’t simply get angry about what has occurred, we must fight back!
This ‘fight back’ can be demonstrated in various ways but one significant way is to all get behind and support the ‘new’ Western Force.
Through the generous support of Andrew and Nicola Forrest and the Minderoo Foundation, the ‘new’ Western Force has been established. A core of elite players has been recruited and they will be complemented by outstanding local talent. The team will provide the pathway to elite rugby for local players and those through the Future Force Foundation.
The team will be competing in World Series Rugby matches over the next few months. These matches will be against international and elite teams from Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand and Japan. It is going to be exciting and entertaining rugby.
All matches will be at nib Stadium and our support of these matches could largely determine the future of elite rugby in Western Australia. Please be there to support your Western Force!
Whilst the Western Force did not deserve to be removed from Super Rugby, the dwindling support for the team was certainly a factor that did not assist in its retention. Our attendances at home games had dropped from an average of 25,000 per game in 2006 to around 10,000 per game in recent times. Too many people who were angry and upset when the team was removed, had not attended many games at nib Stadium. We cannot allow this to happen again.
The future of the Western Force will largely depend on the support it receives from the Western Australian rugby community!
The Super Rugby competition continues to struggle with poor crowd attendances and poor television ratings. Some crowds have been less than 6,000 and few over 10,000. The structure of elite rugby in Australia, after the end of the current broadcasting agreement, is likely to be a lot different to what exists at present with the Super Rugby competition. An opportunity exists for World Series Rugby, the Western Force and Western Australia to play a lead role in developing Australia’s future elite rugby competitions. However, to do this Western Australia needs to demonstrate that the necessary support is here.
That simply means supporting all World Series Rugby games at nib Stadium this year!
The first game is against Fiji on Friday 4 May 2018, with the kick off at 6.30pm. Please join the captain, Ian Prior, the coach, Tim Sampson, and the team as they commence an exciting new phase of elite rugby in Western Australia.
Join the now famous ‘Sea of Blue’ and demonstrate to Australian rugby that the game is alive & well in Western Australia- the Member Union with the third largest playing population in Australia! Demonstrate that elite rugby can succeed in Western Australia, despite the treatment Western Australia has received in recent times.
With apologies to Uncle Sam and JFK, I leave you with the following:
‘YOUR TEAM AND STATE NEEDS YOU!!’
We look forward to seeing you at the games.
Yours in Rugby,
Geoff
But he’s preaching to the converted on here!
Listened to the Sports program on 6PR sounds like Karl has educated himself or someone else has. He did mention that Nick is now with the Western Force and is doing a good job. This was mentioned as someone suggested he might be good to have in the vacant Glory CEO position. He also said Prior would be on the show Thursday night.
Tickets arrived today![]()
Just been to the Casino to collect a considerable sized wodge of tickets too![]()
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Programmed becomes the first business to back WA
April 24, 2018
Programmed – a company with strong West Australian roots and a global reach – has become the Western Force’s first major partner for 2018.
With the West Australian rugby union team poised to take on the world in the revolutionary new World Series Rugby competition, Programmed and the Western Force are natural partners.
A leading provider of staffing and maintenance services with more than 20,000 employees across Australia and New Zealand, Programmed will display its logo proudly on both sleeves of the men’s and women’s playing jumpers.
The World Series Rugby tournament will be fast moving, free scoring and full-on and, in its first year, will see the Western Force return to the field in seven home matches.
World Series Rugby creator Andrew Forrest AO said he was thrilled to welcome Programmed as a partner because it understands the concept is about more than sport.
“If you back Western Australia, you back the Western Force,” Mr Forrest said.
“Programmed is the first company to back this team and our state in this way and I thank the whole Programmed family for investing in Western Australia with this impressive show of leadership.”
A strong advocate for gender equality and opportunity, Programmed will also have its logo displayed prominently on the back of the women’s jumper.
Programmed managing director Chris Sutherland said, “At the heart of Programmed is our purpose to build outstanding people, strong customers and great communities.
“Western Force is a great example of the power and influence a club can have on shaping the character of young men and women in our communities.
“Programmed is proud to stand with Western Force to ensure the great work of the past is not lost; that young boys and girls across WA can develop into great men and women through participation in rugby; and that the pathway from junior rugby to the highest level for men and women in WA is there for all to see.”
The partnership was announced by Mr Sutherland and Western Force CEO Nick Marvin at the home of the team, nib Stadium in Perth, where Force players, media and community members kicked goals for grassroots rugby, with every goal kicked representing a $1000 contribution from Programmed and the Force. The combined athletic abilities of everyone involved resulted in a total of $34,000 being raised.
I think channel 7 going to mention the Force tonight in sports report. I think it might be about the programmed deal today
7 had a piece on the Force with Adrian Barich kicking a drop goal for grassroots funding. Mentioned something about rule variations. Hopefully the variations are simple and sensible. Small things like a scrum free kick cannot be used to call another scrum, the ball must be tapped or kicked. Lineout throw must be taken within 20 seconds of the AR setting the mark. If the opposition doesnt contest the lineout the allowance on the throw for straightness is relaxed. A try originating from your own 22 is worth 7 uncoverted and 10 converted. The score one im not convinced on as tweaking these other rules would result in ball in play for longer bringing fatigue back into defences.
Finding a way to encourage attacking teams to stay on their feet and drive the ball on, drawing in the forwards before releasing to the backs; rather than going to ground and allowing the defence to re-set; would be something I'd like to see.
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Heard it’s timed line out and scrums. 7 point try if the attack starts in your own 22. Multiple subs on and off like league, wether attacking or in defence. You can go off and on as many times as you want.
I’m not sure how tech savvy people are - i’m not so good at the tech things myself. I was thinking though it would be great to develop an app for the Apple and android users to load on their phones which would allow them to listen to commentary and or refs during the game like rugby ears. A form of western force ears if you will! I think a lot would use this app if it was around-I wish my technical prowess was good enough to develop it myself.