Embattled Western Force ask fans for A$10m to save Super Rugby franchise

The embattled Western Force Super Rugby franchise has launched a A$10 million (HK$59.5 million) fundraising drive to save it from possibly being cut from the competition as early as next year.

SANZAAR, made up of the South African, New Zealand, Australian and Argentine rugby unions, met in London two weeks ago to address widespread criticism of the unwieldy 18-team format of its provincial competition.

Fevered speculation about the shape of the agreement followed with media reports in Australia and South Africa indicating that a total of up to three teams from those two countries would be axed for 2018.

The Perth-based Force is one of the franchises in the firing line and coach Dave Wessels said on Wednesday a lack of information from SANZAAR was unsettling players and proving hard to recruit new ones.

The side, however, said on Thursday it would be asking for fans to purchase a total of 10,000 shares at A$1,000 (HK$5,950) each to keep the franchise afloat and take it out of Australian Rugby Union (ARU) ownership.

“Fans will own the club and we’ll have the rights to operate a professional Western Australian team that can participate in the Super Rugby competition,” Western Force Owners Limited chairman Tony Howarth said in a statement.