Mining tycoon plans new Indo-Pacific rugby tournament after Western Force appeal fails

Western Australian mining tycoon Andrew Forrest has announced plans to establish a rebel rugby union competition after the Western Force failed in a NSW Supreme Court appeal to remain in the Super Rugby tournament.

Forrest (pictured below), who had supported the Force’s legal battle to stay in Super Rugby, said that the new Indo-Pacific competition would feature six teams from “key countries” across the region.

He added that the competition would begin with an international game, although he urged Force players to “stay strong” to give him time to be fully briefed.

Speaking after the court hearing yesterday, Forrest stated “this is the beginning of the new Western Force and the new Indo-Pacific rugby competition based on a fast-moving game, highly spectator and player friendly, in full formal competition, as well as a new seven a side competition.

“This will include strong encouragement of women’s’ rugby. This new Australasian rugby format will tap deep into the burgeoning interest in rugby that exists amongst countries in the time zone that is aligned with WA.

“We have recruited world class, sport futurists and experienced rugby leaders to design a smart and prosperous new rugby format that will appeal to players, coaches, fans, sponsors and broadcasters. Discussions with international commercial partners, member unions, elite players and the WA Government have commenced, and, as soon as we can, we will let the fans know all the exciting details.”

Super Rugby has cut three teams from its previous 18-team format, with the competition having expanded its geographical footprint into Argentina and Japan in recent years, in addition to the tournament's founding unions in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The Force had appealed against the Australian Rugby Union’s decision to axe the franchise by claiming in an arbitration process that the club had signed an agreement with the union to guarantee a place in the Super Rugby competition through to the end of the current media-rights deal in 2020. However, the ARU said that a new media-rights deal would be in place from 2018 due to the tournament contracting.

Justice David Hammerschlag said in his case “it is to be remembered that ARU owns the Force.

“If the alliance comes to an end, it owns the Force unconditionally without any potential obligation to sell it back in the future, and can do with it what it likes, even destroy it."

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