Forrest to start his own comp

BILLIONAIRE backer Andrew Forrest has vowed to launch a rebel rugby competition after the Western Force lost its Supreme Court appeal to stay in Super Rugby.

The Force’s future in Super Rugby appears over after NSW Supreme Court Justice David Hammerschlag yesterday dismissed an appeal by RugbyWA against an arbitration decision which backed the Australian Rugby Union’s move to axe the Perth-based franchise.

Forrest said he had already briefed lawyers to seek leave to appeal to the NSW Court of Appeal or the High Court.

But the chances of winning that appeal are slim, with Forrest now turning the bulk of his attention towards launching a rebel competition taking in the Indo-Pacific region.

Forrest said the competition would feature six teams, with the Force one of them. Teams from Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand, and Tonga could be part of the competition.

Forrest wanted to make the competition so strong, that other Super Rugby franchises would eventually want to join.

“This is the beginning of the new Indo-Pacific competition. And I am delighted to be an instigator of it,” Forrest said.

“I think SANZAAR has been a very clear mistake for Australian rugby — shrinking the game as opposed to growing it. I would not be surprised, and I would be encouraging South Africa and New Zealand and the other [Super Rugby] teams to come across.”