Falling attendance figures could spell the end of the Western Force
Concerning comments from RugbyWA Chairman John Edwards suggests that things are not all peachy in Western Australia.
After being unceremoniously dropped from Super Rugby at the end of 2017, it seemed like the Western Force were doomed to be retired – there was no competition for the team to take part in and little funding provided by the Australian Rugby Union to keep the team alive.
Fans were understandably furious. The Force were dropped at the expense of the Melbourne Rebels – a team with little history and inferior results to the Western Australian team.
It was only when Australian businessman and Force fan Andrew Forrest stepped in to fund a breakaway competition that life was breathed into the Force.
What has eventuated is Global Rapid Rugby, a competition that is barely in its infantile stages but, from the way Edwards is talking, could be on the brink of collapsing.
The first game of this year’s showcase series saw the Western Force competing against a World XV coached by ex-Australia coach Robbie Deans. As with last year’s matches, the crowd was respectable. Almost 11,500 fans turned up to see the Force take the match 26-16, but the attendance figures dropped off considerably for the next match – against the South China Tigers – with fewer than 8,000 showing up in support.
The drop off should not be surprising. Whilst a World XV has a universal appeal, with numerous ex-international lacing up, the Tigers lacked any real star players – a fading Tom Varndell the only name of note.
Edwards, however, has indicated that fans will need to turn out in droves regularly if the Force are to have any chance of continuing to operate.
“I see worrying trends and history looming if WA’s rugby community does not fully embrace the Force. I implore you all to consider your own role in maintaining both the Western Force and the exceptional rugby pathways,” Edwards has said in response to the falling attendance figures.
“It’s no secret that (Forrest) has pumped significant funds into the re-creation of Western Force and Global Rapid Rugby.
“It should also be no secret that the Force must be able to stand on its own feet financially.
“This will be the expectation for all teams joining the tournament. It will not survive if you don’t play your part.”
The high attendance figures for the Force’s initial revival series last year should be expected – fans were excited to see there team back playing competitive rugby – but now that the newness has worn off, it also should be expected that attendances will drop back to what you see for Australia’s Super Rugby teams, especially when the Force are playing weaker opposition.
Still, with Forrest still trying to encourage foreign teams to join the competition, Edwards’ words won’t be taken fondly by many. Why join a competition that hinges on a team that is on the edge of extinction?
It seems like the Force are teetering on the precipice. If Western Australians want to have any hope of being represented in top-tier competitions in the future then they’ll have to speak with their feet and turn up for the remaining games in this year’s Global Rapid Rugby competition – Edwards has made that abundantly clear.
Comments on RugbyPass
late hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to comments