"World Series Rugby" aka "Global Rapid Rugby"
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There are a few familiar names in the Western Force squad to play Fiji Warriors, but due to losing so many players to the remaining Aussie SR franchises, it's a significantly weakened squad compared to last year:
Western Force team to face Fiji Warriors
1 Harry Lloyd, 2 Heath Tessmann, 3 Chris Heiberg, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Johan Bardoul, 6 Tevin Ferris, 7 Chris Alcock, 8 Brynard Stander
9 Ian Prior (C), 10 Andrew Deegan, 11 Brad Lacey, 12 Rodney Iona, 13 Marcel Brache, 14 Rod Davies, 15 Peter GrantReserves
16 Alifeleti Kaitu'u, 17 Tom Sheminant, 18 Kieran Longbottom, 19 Leon Power, 20 Harrison Orr, 21 Ryan Louwrens, 22 AJ Alatimu, 23 Clay Uyen -
Oh, and just in case you forgot. They are playing this series under the following, changed rules:
THE CHANGES 1 The Power Try– A Power Try is awarded when the play is initiated from within the try scoring team’s own 22m area and there is no break in continuity of possession by the scoring team. However if possession changes or a penalty is awarded, then this breaks the sequence of possession for the try scoring team and normal 5 point try is earned if they score. Coloured lights on the goal posts will alert fans to when a Power Try is “live”, “dead” or “scored”. The Power Try play is live: green lights will run down the post The Power Try play is dead: the green lights turn solid red A Power Try is scored: the green lights will flash. A Power Try offers a team the opportunity to score 9 points on conversion. 2 Rolling Subs – teams may make up to 12 player substitutions during the game, as opposed to the current 8 substitutions. 3 One-minute scrums – One minute from time of mark to completion. This puts the onus on players to keep the scrum up and encourages quick decision making to allow play to continue. 4 Faster Line Outs – lineouts will be taken as soon as the throwing team is ready – they do not have to wait for their opponent or the referee. -
@Stargazer WOW! I had forgotten.
I want to watch just because of this.
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I hope this dies a painful, expensive death. Power tries. What a stupid concept.
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@stargazer if they really wanted to 'sell it' shoulda given it to tvnz for FTA.
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@taniwharugby Yep, and schedule it at another time. Now, it's at the same time as the second half of Rebels v Crusaders.
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Former All Black Jeremy Thrush Joins the Force
All Black Jeremey Thrush will be part of World Series Rugby in 2018. With over 200 first class matches and 12 Test Caps worth of experience, the Kiwi international will add even more class, agility and power to the to the Western Force squad. Head of Elite Performance, Matt Hodgson, worked for weeks to secure Thrush’s signature. -
@stargazer said in "World Series Rugby" aka Indo Pacific Rugby Championship prequel:
The Western Force v Fiji Warriors game will be broadcast live in Oz on Fox Sports channel 507.
I don't think it will be televised in NZ.Was also live into Perth on 7TWO and is on the 7Plus app. So clearly there is a bit of cash being flung around.
Watched about 20 minutes of it. Force second string beating up Fiji third string.
Sure they had 20,000 in the stadium but it was all Sand Gropers fuelled by hate, looking to stick it up RA.
Let me just say that uranium rods have a shorter half-life than the hate of a West Australian who believes those "over East" did them wrong.
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@bones said in "World Series Rugby" aka Indo Pacific Rugby Championship prequel:
@gunner said in "World Series Rugby" aka Indo Pacific Rugby Championship prequel:
World Series Rugby?
Are these clowns serious calling it that, or are they just trying to be American?
Isn't that implied by them being Australian?
Yeah nah. I mean there's no Mexican food there, ¡Nada!
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So "World Series Rugby" isn't going to be named "Indo Pacific Rugby Championship" after all, as they announced last year. The new name is now "Global Rapid Rugby". Same awful competition though, with the same ridiculous rules.
Rapid Rugby rebrand for Forrest's World Series
Andrew Forrest's World Series Rugby will become Global Rapid Rugby in 2019. Forrest launched the new name on Tuesday, hinting at the teams that will be involved. According to the website, a team from Hawaii has committed to the expanded competition for next year along with a Hong Kong team. Sides from Singapore, Malaysia and Fiji are also considering participating in the slated eight-team tournament and Rapid Rugby organisers are ambitious about how it can grow beyond 2020. While there are still many details to iron out, the competition is pencilled in for a February start, running until mid-June with a $1 million prize up for grabs. The rule variations used in World Series Rugby this year will continue into 2019 as well.“Our team continues to work alongside the sport’s governing body, World Rugby, to develop new rules that will make our brand even more appealing. Their input is obviously invaluable.” -
@stargazer said in "World Series Rugby" aka "Rapid Rugby":
So "World Series Rugby" isn't going to be named "Indo Pacific Rugby Championship" after all, as they announced last year. The new name is now "Global Rapid Rugby". Same awful competition though, with the same ridiculous rules.
Rapid Rugby rebrand for Forrest's World Series
Andrew Forrest's World Series Rugby will become **Global Rapid Rugby** in 2019.
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New Zealand Rugby has pledged its support for Western Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest's new Asia Pacific competition – a move which may see Auckland stage two 'home' matches for a Samoan side – but not everyone is on board with the decision to back the rebel league. Concerns are understood to be held within the wider Auckland region about the threat Forrest's competition, dubbed Global Rapid Rugby (GRR), poses in the already challenging market of securing and retaining New Zealand players, sponsors and supporters."We have received an approach from GRR asking whether there would be interest in New Zealand Super Rugby clubs or Mitre 10 Cup provincial unions forming partnerships with the new teams that are joining GRR," Good writes. "We asked GRR to put this proposal in writing (see attached) and agreed to put this in front of the 19 organisations hence this email."The Herald understands NZR may stage two home matches for the Samoan side in Auckland. The Samoan bid involves Richard Fale, the Tongan-born politician who failed to buy the Warriors. Fale is also the face of the Hawaii-based consortium that attempted to join Super Rugby. It is likely the Samoan team will, therefore, play some home matches in Honolulu. NZR's position is believed to be there is no point fighting this new competition which is scheduled to feature 14 rounds, 56 games of 70 minutes and rouge rules such as not kicking out on the full. There is also thought that GRR could be a possible fallback option, should South Africa pull out of Sanzaar and head north at any point in the future.The proposal to form partnerships with New Zealand teams states how recruitment would work: "A player contracted from Mitre Cup can be placed into a Global Rapid Rugby team for a short term or the full duration – from March to June. This would allow players associated with Mitre Cup teams to get professional rugby for a longer duration. "A player from Super Rugby can also benefit from Global Rapid Rugby. If a player is injured/returning from suspension and/or misses selection and requires game time Global Rapid Rugby would welcome players from the aligned Super Rugby team." Having missed out yet again in their bid for a Super Rugby team due to financial constraints, GRR represents a major fillip for the Pacific Islands with up to 50 on-island based players set to gain short term professional contracts, building on the success of the Fiji Drua who won this year's Australian domestic competition. But when it comes to the wider Auckland region and the Blues, the scrap to retain emerging talent is already fierce. From overseas clubs to league scouts and other New Zealand Super Rugby teams, Auckland's natural talent pool has long been plundered. Another layer and another competitor are, therefore, not being welcomed by all. While reluctant to speak publicly, these concerns are understood to be shared by other New Zealand provincial and Super Rugby bases battling similar on-going challenges in the player, sponsor and crowd sectors. Once players leave it is harder to lure them back. GRR directly recruiting from New Zealand also has the potential to further deplete depth.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12181213
