Updated April 10, 2017 21:16:33

Photo: Western Force CEO Mark Sinderberry says the game has been damaged by recent events. (ABC News: Marcus Alborn)

The Western Force has lodged a writ with the WA Supreme Court against the Australian Rugby Union (ARU).

The Perth franchise is attempting to prevent the ARU from axing it from the competition.

The RugbyWA Board met with ARU representatives in Perth on Monday afternoon.

The Force released a statement on Monday night describing the meeting as unsatisfactory.

"We felt in order to protect our position it was necessary to issue legal proceedings to protect our rights under the Alliance Agreement," the statement said.

The Western Force is arguing the ARU could be in breach of an alliance agreement signed last August, in which the national organisation committed to growing the game in Western Australia.

Force chief executive Mark Sinderberry said he was confident the Force would still be in the Super Rugby competition next year, but believed the game had been damaged by recent events.

"I think the whole game has suffered through this process and that's certainly regrettable," he said.

"Now we need to make sure the right decision is made and for the right reasons."

Earlier on Monday ARU chief executive Bill Pulver and chairman Cameron Clyne confirmed that either the Western Force or the Melbourne Rebels would be cut at the end of the season.

They said a final decision would be made within 72 hours, but that timeframe no longer applies.

Topics: super-rugby, sport, wa

First posted April 10, 2017 20:22:04