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Billionaire businessman Andrew Forrest has thrown his financial weight and influence behind a campaign to prevent Western Force being axed from the Australian Rugby Union (ARU).
Mr Forrest, a club foundation member, gave a passionate on-field address to the players after the Force ended its Super Rugby season with a 29-point win over the Waratahs in Perth on Saturday night.
The ARU board is set to decide if the Force or the Melbourne Rebels will be cut from the competition.
Mr Forrest told the players the state was behind them and the club would survive its predicament.
"You've gotta recognise that the people of Western Australia are so proud of you — what you achieved tonight is not an aberration," he said.
"Surviving is not the issue. You will survive and you will win. Your state is totally behind you."
The Fortescue Metals chairman has issued a statement saying he "pledged his full support for the Western Force rugby team", and his love for the game was his only motivation.
"I stand completely with, and behind, Western Australia to keep this team thriving, not just surviving, but absolutely thriving in the national rugby scene," he said.
In the statement, Mr Forrest "assured the Australian Rugby Union board that his ongoing support for rugby would be contingent upon it remaining a national, not an eastern states-only, sport".
He said he wanted the Force to know: "I, as a proud Western Australian, have their backs."
Western Force chief executive Mark Sinderberry said the club had been in dialogue with Mr Forrest.
"There's a range of activities that are going on at the moment and his support will ensure that we can continue, and be very aggressive in how we can continue, to pursue our case with the Australian Rugby Union to ensure Western Force remain here in WA," he said.
Mr Sinderberry said it was too early to be specific about what support Mr Forrest might provide, and while a financial commitment was a potential option, they "hadn't got to that discussion".
"It's impossible to quantify it or even say that it's necessary, but it's more important that Andrew is absolutely behind us," he said.
Forrest a long term supporter of rugby
Mr Forrest put money into the Force 15 Foundation when it was set up in 2007.
John Welborn, WA's first born-and-bred Wallaby player, said that had been a source of funds for development of the game in the state.
"Andrew's comments, significantly, are that this is a community game," he said.
"Rugby WA administers school boys' sport, they administer club sport and they administer the Western Force.
"Andrew's not buying the team — like all of us who love rugby in Western Australia, he's a keen supporter and I think it's fantastic that he's come out and said he's going to do everything he can ensure that Western Force both survive and thrive.
"Obviously, there's a financial imperative and there's an argument about how much the Western Force has already demonstrated in its ability to be financially independent."
Mr Welborn said logic, financial support and performance all had to play a role in the ARU's decision.
Comments 'warm' Minister's heart
WA Sports Minister Mick Murray was at the Western Force match, which he described as "a sensational moment".
"Western Force are still up against it a little, but working very hard — as you may have seen with 'Twiggy' Forrest and the Government as well — working very hard to make sure they survive," he said.
Mr Murray said he saw Mr Forrest talking to the players after the game.
"That warmed my heart — he's a Western Australian of the Year, talking to people that are under the pump a bit about where they go in the future and saying that he's out there supporting them. I thought it was tremendous," he said.
"Western Australia seems to be a long way away from the other side of the world, which is Sydney and Melbourne, so if he was out there and waving the flag for Western Australia, I think this helps."
Topics: super-rugby, government-and-politics, sport, perth-6000
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