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Legal action against ARU being considered in wake of Western Force axing

Matt Hodgson of Western Force

RugbyWA is considering New South Wales Supreme Court proceedings in a bid to save Western Force after the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) announced its intention to axe the franchise from Super Rugby.

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Following an arbitration process, the ARU on Friday declared its intention to discontinue the licence of the Perth-based team.

Australia is required to sacrifice one of its five Super Rugby participants as the regional governing body – South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina Rugby (SANZAAR) – reduces Super Rugby from 18 teams to 15 in a bid to cut costs and safeguard the viability of the competition.

The ARU’s decision means Melbourne Rebels, the other Australian team in the firing line, appear to have earned a stay of execution.

But Western Force will not go down without a fight.

Western Australian rugby’s state governing body said in a statement on Friday: “RugbyWA remains committed to pursuing every possible means to ensure the Western Force remains a Super Rugby team in Perth.

“RugbyWA is considering all options including bringing urgent proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW, and legal action relating to the circumstances which led it to enter in the Alliance Agreement with the ARU.”

In announcing its intention to axe Force, the ARU said: “Our decision to exit the Western Force has been guided primarily by financial outcomes.

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“As we have reinforced throughout this process, there are commercial realities which are linked to declining on-field performance across our Super Rugby teams which has put Australian rugby in a position where it can no longer sustain five teams.

“Our immediate concern is to support the individuals at the Western Force through these difficult circumstances and we will deploy various ARU management staff to Western Australia to provide assistance to all players and staff.”

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Nickers 34 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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