Billionaire plans to set up rebel rugby competition

BILLIONAIRE mining tycoon Andrew Forrest will set up a rebel competition spanning the Indo-Pacific region after Australia’s Western Force lost their court appeal to remain in Super Rugby yesterday.

Forrest has underwritten the Force’s legal fight to remain in Super Rugby but angrily declared the side would live on in his new tournament.

This he claimed would challenge the primacy of the southern hemisphere’s incumbent competition.

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

“I will be releasing details immediately of the initial administration structure and can assure you that discussions have commenced, within our own state and country, to ensure this competition starts and starts strong.”

The ARU did not return calls to provide comment.

After expanding quickly in the past six years and opening new markets in Japan and Argentina, Super Rugby has become vulnerable.

The 18-team format of the past two seasons has been jettisoned and its governing body Sanzaar agreed earlier this year to cut three teams to consolidate a competition that was losing fans and ratings.

South Africa agreed to cut the Southern Kings and Cheetahs, who are now playing in Europe’s Pro14 competition.

The cash-strapped Australian Rugby Union also committed to cutting a team but the process has been far more messy.

State governing body Rugby Western Australia rebelled against the decision and vowed to fight it through the courts with the support of Forrest, one of the country’s richest men. The state’s premier has also threatened to sue the ARU over government funds spent on the Force’s home stadium, while federal politicians have called for inquiries over how the ARU arrived at its decision.

Pundits have called on Australia to leave Super Rugby altogether, claiming it fails to represent Australian interests.

Forrest offered the ARU A$50-million (R516-million) in financial support for the game if it guaranteed the Force’s survival in Super Rugby, but the governing body turned down the “extremely generous” financial offer, saying it had come too late and they had already committed to their course.

While ARU chief executive Bill Pulver has already announced his resignation, Forrest reiterated his call for chairman Cameron Clyne to also fall on his sword.

“The chairman made a very poor financial decision – should have stayed running a bank, I think – to shrink the game, to not approach people like me, to turn down my offer, to not grow the game or strengthen it but to shrink it,” he said.

“I’m asking every Western Force player to stay strong to allow me the time to be fully briefed.

“I’d like to start [the competition] with an international game, which is yet to be announced.”–