'It's been the best thing that's ever happened': The light that sparked the Western Force's incredible rise from the ashes
A generous billionaire, a global pandemic, and a sporting franchise fighting for survival.
It sounds like a plotline from a Hollywood movie script, but the Western Force’s journey from near-extinction to Super Rugby semi-finalists has become the feel-good story of Australian sport.
Rugby in Western Australia was on its knees in 2017 when Rugby Australia ruthlessly axed the Force.
The franchise only survived courtesy of the generous support of mining magnate Andrew Forrest, whose net worth has grown to more than $27 billion.
Forrest saved the Force and vowed to launch a breakaway competition, initially dubbed the Indo Pacific Rugby Championship.
The names kept changing, going from World Series Rugby to Global Rapid Rugby.
But one constant remained – the Force had survived, and would take on teams from Asia and the Pacific region in a competition Forrest hoped would grow into one of the most popular in the world.
After two years of exhibition matches, Global Rapid Rugby was finally launched as a fully-fledged competition in 2020.
The league would last just one round before the COVID-19 pandemic brought it to a halt.
With the world in turmoil, the Force’s future looked bleak until Rugby Australia announced it would launch a domestic version of Super Rugby in 2020.
The decision comes two weeks ahead of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition. #SuperRugbyAUhttps://t.co/vZjjgj2R6f
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 30, 2021
The Force were welcomed back into the fold, and although they ended the campaign winless and bottom of the ladder, the foundations had been set for their permanent return.
Backed by Forrest’s seemingly endless pockets, the Force embarked on an impressive recruiting campaign that netted them the likes of Rob Kearney, Tomas Cubelli, Tevita Kuridrani, Domingo Miotti, Tom Robertson, and last week’s hat-trick hero Jordan Olowofela.
Former All Blacks Jeremy Thrush and Richard Kahui were already on board, giving the Force a formidable team packed with international talent.
Forrest has put his money where his mouth is, and he is demanding excellence.
First, he wants the Force to become the best team in Australia. Then, the best team in the Southern Hemisphere.
Eventually, Forrest wants the Force to become the best club team in the world.
If the Force can beat the Brumbies in Saturday night’s semi-final in Canberra and follow it up with victory against the Reds in the decider, the first step of Forrest’s plan will have come to fruition.
“We love that,” Force captain Ian Prior says of Forrest’s grand plan.
“Particularly given I’ve been here since 2013 – it’s been the best thing that’s ever happened to the Force to get him involved.
“He has made a career out of his ambition and his drive and his leadership, and not being afraid to be ambitious.
“In Australian culture, it can be perceived as arrogance to have that self-confidence and that ambition. But he’s not afraid to set some real high targets.
“It gives you all the confidence to try to achieve it. It’s super empowering as a player to be part of that.”
Two years ago, Tomas Cubelli and Domingo Miotti were playing in a Super Rugby finals series for the @JaguaresARG. Now, they're doing the same for the @WesternForce. #SuperRugbyAU #BRUvFORhttps://t.co/zSYMkVmquc
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 29, 2021
Prior has ridden the highs and lows at the Force over the past eight years, and he is thrilled to see the club grow to what it is today.
“I’m pinching myself that we’re here this week and we’re preparing for a Super Rugby final, which is super exciting,” Prior says.
“It’s just really special. It feels like just reward for everything the club’s gone through and all the players that have been here currently and in the past.
“Being able to reach our first semi-final in Super Rugby is really special, especially looking back at our history and being removed from the competition. It’s going to be surreal running out there on Saturday night.”
In the words of World Cup-winning All Black Richard Kahui, the Force were “clunky” earlier this season, taking time to adjust to new-look combinations.
But the Perth-based franchise have come into their own over the past three weeks, posting last-gasp wins over the Waratahs, Rebels, and Reds to secure a maiden finals berth.
The win over ladder leaders Queensland was particularly impressive, with the Force overcoming three yellow cards and a 21-7 deficit to secure the 30-27 triumph.
The stage is now set for a fairytale title charge. If it happens, don’t be surprised if Hollywood comes knocking.
– Justin Chadwick
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments