120-772: The Western Force is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Perth , Western Australia , currently competing in Super Rugby Pacific . They previously played in Super Rugby from 2006 until they were axed from the competition in 2017. Following their axing they played in the National Rugby Championship in 2018 and 2019, replacing the Perth Spirit , and Global Rapid Rugby from 2018 to 2020, an Indo-Pacific competition organised by Andrew Forrest . Following
240-563: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
360-488: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
480-545: A $ 9.2 billion expansion in 2014. Since then, the company has grown to possess three times the tenements of its nearest rival in Western Australia's iron ore rich Pilbara region. Fortescue holds major deposits at Mount Nicholas, Christmas Creek, Cloudbreak, and Tongolo. In 2007, he took an interest and a directorship in Niagara Mining Limited, renamed Poseidon Nickel Limited, which had in 2006 acquired from WMC
600-531: A 250-seat BBQ deck to the new Eastern stand. In June 2012 builder BGC were awarded the head building contract for the project and on 7 June 2012 the Minister for Sport and Recreation Terry Waldron MLA announced that hard work by the project team, led by the Department of Sport and Recreation, and a keen price by builders would enable the south stand to become a permanent, unroofed structure rather than new scaffold. It
720-456: A business case which saw $ 88million dollars allocated to the first stage which was to include a new permanent East stand, new lights, two video replay boards, LED signage at pitch level, replacement of the playing surface and replacement of the south scaffold stand with new scaffold. A Project Definition Plan was then completed and following this, the government allocated a further $ 7.14million to add corporate amenity including 48 corporate boxes and
840-640: A complaint with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission that Forrest's comment was racist and vilified the community. Forrest has been publicly accused of engaging in questionable methods of land acquisition, and has had accusations levelled at his company for failing Indigenous trainees at FMG's vocational training centre in Port Hedland. In 2013, Forrest was chosen to lead an Australian Government review into Indigenous employment and training programs. Delivered on 1 August 2014 with 27 recommendations,
960-632: A deal with Pakistan to do away with more than two million slaves in return for cheap coal. Forrest founded the Global Freedom Network that the Pope , the Archbishop of Canterbury , and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar lead. The Global Freedom Network works to stop all religious faiths from using organisations involved with slavery in their supply chain . When I heard the news [that all parties had agreed to
1080-477: A domestic competition known as Super Rugby AU , its inaugural 2020 season featuring the Western Force joining the current four Australian Super Rugby sides in a 12-week round robin tournament that ran from 3 July to 19 September. The Western Force competed in the 2021 Super Rugby AU season , along with Super Rugby Trans-Tasman , a trans-tasman competition that featured the five Super Rugby AU teams taking on
1200-553: A full home and away round-robin format for the 2020 season . The Western Force played in Global Rapid Rugby against teams from Fiji , Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia , Samoa and Singapore. During this time the Western Force also played in the 2018 and 2019 National Rugby Championship seasons, replacing Perth Spirit , who had previously acted as a feeder team for the Force during their Super Rugby years. The National Rugby Championship
1320-673: A further A$ 655 million to expand the existing work of the Minderoo Foundation in areas including cancer research, early childhood development, ocean health, and eliminating modern slavery, the largest ever living donation by any Australian philanthropist. In 1991, Forrest married Nicola Maurice who grew up on a farm in central western New South Wales ; the family raised sheep and cattle and grew wheat. They have four children, including Sophia . In July 2023, after 31 years of marriage, Andrew and Nicola announced their separation. This will not affect their company. Forrest purchased
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#17328514373241440-580: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
1560-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
1680-566: A match against the Bulls . On 31 March, in front of 24,000, the Force came closest to their first win, losing 26–25 to the Stormers at Subiaco Oval. This was after leading 10–0 early on in the match. This was the Force's first competition point ever, and was the longest it had ever taken a side to get a point in Super rugby history (8 rounds/7 matches). On 21 April a crowd of 32,231 saw the Force nearly pull off
1800-624: A meeting held in the Vatican, being a Joint Religious Leaders Declaration Against Modern Slavery. The anti-slavery declaration was signed by Pope Francis , Mata Amritanandamayi , Justin Welby , Thích Nhất Hạnh , K. Sri Dhammananda , David Rosen , Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew , Abraham Skorka , Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb , Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi , Basheer Hussain al-Najafi , and Omar Abboud – religious leaders representing forms of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Welby,
1920-598: A more equitable and positive environment for others to thrive in." After stepping down as chief executive officer of FMG, Forrest noted that he had been spending more than 50% of his time on Indigenous philanthropy. Forrest became an ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation . Encouraged by the philanthropy of the Rockefeller Group , Warren Buffett , and Melinda and Bill Gates , Andrew and Nicola Forrest established
2040-569: A new renewed Western Force changed their logo and jersey. The logo was very similar to the previous logo, this came after being axed from their most recent season of Super Rugby . Shortly after RugbyWA won the fourth Australian franchise, an on-line register was set up for members to record their interest. In the space of weeks, 10,000 people had registered. When membership was officially launched in July, more than 13,000 were registered, with around 400 companies expressed interest in hospitality packages. Soon
2160-621: A new tournament called the Indo Pacific Rugby Championship which would include the Western Force and five other teams from the Indo-Pacific region. For the 2018 season, the competition was launched as World Series Rugby , played as a series of exhibition matches as the precursor to a wider Asia-Pacific competition planned for 2019. The competition was rebranded in November 2018 as Global Rapid Rugby . A season of fourteen matches
2280-530: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
2400-584: A rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around the world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been
2520-466: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
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#17328514373242640-490: A team bonding session on Rottnest Island , 19 kilometres (12 mi) off the coast of Perth. Eye-witness accounts stated that the players had mishandled the animals, including trapping and throwing them, though none were known to be seriously injured. Alcohol was said to be a factor. As a result of the actions, Australian Wallaby number 8 Fava was ordered to pay $ 11,000, attend a week of community service and undergo counselling for alcohol abuse, while flanker Richard Brown
2760-410: A three-year deal reportedly worth A$ 4.5 million, making him the highest-paid player in the history of any Australian football code. On Saturday 6 May the Force announced they had managed to sign another player, Reds winger Drew Mitchell . However, during the same week the Force were fined $ 110,000 after an "independent committee found that Rugby WA had entered a negotiation process with Al Kanaar in
2880-531: A way that was contrary to and in breach of the contracting protocols." The Force notched up their first win by defeating the Cheetahs 16–14 on 6 May. The Western Force continued to play in Super Rugby until the 2017 season . During this time they struggled to achieve much success, failing to qualify for the playoffs in a single season. Their best season came in 2007 , where they finished 7th out of 14 teams. Ahead of
3000-533: A year, he quit stockbroking and got into nickel mining by founding Anaconda Nickel. He became the founding CEO of Anaconda Nickel in 1993, after buying a stake in the company. However, in 2001 he was ousted as CEO when the company almost collapsed. US bondholders received $ 0.26 for each dollar of debt in the restructuring. The company's shares fell by 89% before it was taken over by Glencore and renamed Minara Resources . In April 2003, he took control of Allied Mining and Processing, which had rights to iron ore in
3120-534: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
3240-653: Is an adjunct professor at the Chinese Southern University and a fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy . He is a former director of Australia's Export Finance and Insurance Corporation and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia , and former chairman of Athletics Australia . He has addressed the Queensland University of Technology , and Christians in
3360-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
3480-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
3600-461: Is how he came to develop a relationship with Ian Black, whose Aboriginal father, Scotty, became Forrest's mentor. Forrest went on to the University of Western Australia where he majored in economics and politics . After graduating, Forrest worked as a stockbroker at the brokerage houses Kirke Securities and Jacksons. After noticing that the demand for stainless steel was rising at 4 per cent
3720-571: Is made up of several business divisions: Fiveight, Harvest Road , Squadron Energy, Tenmile, Wyloo Metals, Z1Z, and Akubra . Following SANZAAR 's decision to reduce the number of Super Rugby teams for 2018 , the Australian Rugby Union (now Rugby Australia ) announced in August 2017 that Perth-based rugby team Western Force would be one of the teams cut from the 2018 competition. In the following month, Forrest announced that he would create
Western Force - Misplaced Pages Continue
3840-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
3960-699: Is what I'm here to do." Forrest established the Walk Free Foundation in 2010 to fight modern slavery . In 2013 the organisation launched the Global Slavery Index ranking 162 countries "based on a combined measure of three factors: estimated prevalence of modern slavery by population, a measure of child marriage , and a measure of human trafficking in and out of a country". The Index estimates there are 29 million slaves worldwide, roughly half in India and Pakistan . In January 2014, Forrest announced
4080-465: The 2018 Super Rugby season , SANZAAR made the decision to reduce the competition from 18 to 15 teams, deciding to cut 2 South African teams and 1 Australian team. On 11 August 2017 it was announced that the Western Force would be the Australian team to be axed from Super Rugby. In September 2017, Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest made plans to launch an Indo-Pacific Rugby tournament, consisting of
4200-503: The Brumbies . Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby , is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on
4320-907: The Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
4440-457: The Kimberley region of Western Australia for over A$ 30 million. In 2005, a medical equipment distribution company called Allied Medical was spun out of Fortescue Metals Group. Forrest was a director of the company. In June 2011, Allied Medical, of which Forrest owned a 46 percent stake in, was acquired by biotechnology company BioMD. Forrest retained an approximate 17–18 percent stake in
4560-602: The Pilbara region south of Onslow . Minderoo was owned by the Forrest family until it was sold in 1998 by his father due to relentless drought and debt, but it was bought back by Forrest in 2009. Forrest was educated at Onslow Primary School and through the School of the Air before moving to Perth to attend Christ Church Grammar School and then Hale School . He stuttered as a child, which
4680-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
4800-471: The 2006 line-up). For the first four seasons, the Force played all of their home games at Subiaco Oval . The stadium had a capacity of 43,500 configured in an oval shape for Australian rules football . The club moved to the Perth Oval for the 2010 season and, with association football club Perth Glory , pushed for an upgrade to the venue which would create a rectangular venue for the two clubs. As of 2019,
4920-583: The 58.2-metre (191 ft) superyacht Pangaea in 2018. Built by US shipyard Halter Marine in 1999, the yacht is registered in Montego Bay , Jamaica. Forrest turned the yacht into an ocean research vessel for the Minderoo Foundation, with multiple laboratories and specialist research equipment installed since its purchase. In December 2015, Forrest purchased the heritage-listed Tukurua mansion in Cottesloe for $ 16 million. The Forrest family housed refugees at
Western Force - Misplaced Pages Continue
5040-520: The Archbishop of Canterbury, urged consumers to demand more information about whether forced labour was involved in goods they bought. As of September 2007 , Forrest had injected A$ 90 million into his children's charity. Philanthropic activity has included gifts to his alma mater , Hale School ; participation in the St Vincent de Paul Society CEO sleepouts; and a gift from the proceeds of
5160-633: The Australian Children's Trust in 2001. Through the influence of Scotty Black, Forrest started the GenerationOne project, with assistance from James Packer and Kerry Stokes , who each donated A$ 2 million, along with the support of their respective media stations, Channel 9 and Channel 7 . GenerationOne and the Australian Children's Trust help to create sustainable solutions on addressing social disadvantage. With Kevin Rudd , Forrest launched
5280-595: The Australian Employment Covenant, that campaigned for businesses to hire Indigenous Australians, as they could "add value" to Australian businesses because they were "professional and reliable and wonderful" and that there is no reason for Indigenous disparity. GenerationOne ran a series of television advertisements privately funded by Forrest, Packer and Stokes. Between 2008 and 2011, Forrest obtained 253 business signatories to his covenant. With Rudd, Forrest planned to employ 50,000 Aboriginal people. As
5400-562: The Canberra Vikings 41–3 in the final. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the 2020 Global Rapid rugby season , which the Western Force were competing in, was cancelled. The pandemic had also caused the cancellation of the 2020 Super Rugby season , and international travel restrictions meant that it was unfeasible for the competition to continue in its current state, as it consisted of teams from 5 countries. Due to this, Rugby Australia launched
5520-614: The Finals Series of the inaugural season by a single point. On 19 April, RugbyWA unveiled the franchise team name as well as the logo, at a reception at the Burswood International Resort in Perth. Months of detailed community involvement went into selecting the name for the team. 'Western Force' was chosen as the name, which best reflected the franchise's location (state) and its 'values of strength, energy and community'. The logo
5640-716: The Force Academy beat the Singapore national side by 113–7. The Western Force under 19 side plays in the URC competition. Western Australian teams played in the Southern States Tournament up until 2015 and also played occasional matches against other representative sides such as Pacific Rugby Cup teams. Prior to 2008, state colts teams at under 21 and under 19 age levels were fielded in national tournament but these teams were consolidated as under 20s ahead of
5760-521: The Force had the largest membership base of any of the Australian Super 14 teams. By the time pre-season had started, the Force had 16,000 members. Australian Rugby Union CEO Gary Flowers told the media that "people power" was a key factor in Western Australia being awarded the franchise ahead of Victoria. Prior to the announcement, more than 25,500 Western Australians signed a petition in support of their state's bid. In addition, 5,000 people, including
5880-441: The Forrest's philanthropy has been through either the Minderoo Foundation (focusing on education and Indigenous Australians ) or the Walk Free Foundation (focusing on ending modern slavery ), both of which he established. Forrest has been accused of avoiding paying company tax, having revealed in 2011 that Fortescue had never paid company tax. John Andrew Henry Forrest was born on 18 November 1961 in Perth , Western Australia,
6000-506: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
6120-555: The Marketplace. He gave the 2020 Boyer Lecture to outline a case for hydrogen energy and ways to manage human impacts on the oceans. Andrew and Nicola Forrest made The Giving Pledge in 2013, stating: "We hope to help empower individuals and families currently suffering the despair of poverty, slavery and the lack of opportunity for themselves and their children. We feel that if we all do whatever we can with whatever we have, large or small, then each of us will help make our world
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#17328514373246240-801: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
6360-554: The Order of Australia for distinguished service to the mining sector, to the development of employment and business opportunities, as a supporter of sustainable foreign investment, and to philanthropy. In 2019 Forrest was awarded a PhD in Marine Science from the University of Western Australia , and has a strong interest in maintaining the health of the oceans. Forrest is well-connected in political, business, and sporting circles. He
6480-737: The Pilbara, and renamed it Fortescue Metals Group (FMG). He remains a major shareholder of FMG, through his private company, The Metal Group. One of Forrest's initial mines in the Pilbara produced and shipped $ 50 billion worth in iron ore, without ever providing compensation or receiving permission from the Yindjibarndi people to carry out mining on their land. The operations in the area destroyed about 250 cultural and sacred sites. Fortescue made its first iron ore shipment to China in May 2008. Fortescue increased its capacity to 155 million tonnes per annum through
6600-472: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
6720-523: The United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when the first game
6840-423: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
6960-461: The Western Force and other teams from the Indo-Pacific region. Several countries – such as Hong Kong , Malaysia and Singapore – expressed an interest in joining the new competition. While organisation of the Indo-Pacific tournament was still underway, Andrew Forrest announced that the Western Force would play a series of matches in 2018 in what would be known as World Series Rugby . The Force played matches against Fiji A , Tonga A , Samoa A ,
7080-491: The Windara nickel deposits near Laverton, Western Australia . Forrest described the Gillard government proposed Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) as "economic vandalism" and a "mad dog's breakfast" that would drive up foreign resource ownership. He stated he would challenge it in the High Court as being unconstitutional , as it discriminates against states, and fails to appropriately capture big producers BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. WA premier Colin Barnett has stated
7200-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
7320-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
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#17328514373247440-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
7560-532: The best emerging rugby talent in Western Australia. The current squad is a mix of Western Force contracted players, Force Academy players from elite youth programs, and selected Premier Grade club rugby players. In 2006 the Western Force Gold, playing in the traditional gold and black colours of Western Australia, undertook a two-week tour to South Africa. The team played the Golden Lions and Blue Bulls before returning home to Perth to play Manu Samoa and Japanese Top League teams Toshiba and Yamaha . In 2008,
7680-465: The cancellation of both the 2020 Super Rugby season and 2020 Global Rapid Rugby season due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the Western Force were invited to compete in the 2020 Super Rugby AU season , a domestic competition organised by Rugby Australia to replace the cancelled Super Rugby season. The Force competed in the 2021 Super Rugby AU season and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman , before being confirmed that their return to Super Rugby will be permanent in
7800-503: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
7920-408: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
8040-414: The combined company, Allied Healthcare Group, after the takeover. Allied Healthcare Group eventually became structural heart company Anteris Technologies . Forrest has an Australian Centenary Medal , Australian Sports Medal , was awarded the 2017 Western Australian of the Year Award , and the 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Alumni Social Impact Award. In 2017 Forrest was appointed an Officer of
8160-432: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
8280-477: The end of season 2017 but competed in this tournament as the Western Force from 2018. From 2019 the Development Team, Perth Gold , competes in Emerging State Championship . The Western Force A team plays matches against interstate and international representative teams, and has also competed in tournaments such as the Pacific Rugby Cup . Teams known by various names over the years including Western Force A, Western Force Gold and Force Academy have been selected from
8400-427: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
8520-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
8640-460: The field to accommodate fitter and faster (or heavier) players. Fixed cameras on tripods and advertising hoardings are often the main culprits for injuring players in the perimeter area. Andrew Forrest John Andrew Henry Forrest AO (born 18 November 1961), nicknamed Twiggy , is an Australian businessman. He is best known as the former CEO (and current non-executive chairman ) of Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), and has other interests in
8760-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
8880-426: The five Super Rugby Aotearoa teams. Super Rugby's future is uncertain, but a new, 12 team competition started in 2022. This competition includes the full time return of the Western Force, who competed against the four other Australian Super Rugby sides, the five New Zealand sides, a Fijian-based team Fijian Drua , and Moana Pasifika , a team composed of players with Pacific Islander heritage. The Force missed out on
9000-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
9120-467: The fuel technology company Firepower were a major factor in luring Wallaby star Matt Giteau and others to play for the Western Force in Perth. The luckless Giteau was one of a number of sportsmen owed millions of dollars after the collapse of Firepower. A new consortium offered to cover the Firepower money if Giteau extended his existing contract; he, however, chose not to and returned to Canberra to play for
9240-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
9360-422: The governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845, the first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union
9480-408: The government take Forrest's mining tax grievance to heart. In August 2021, it was announced that Forrest would receive a $ 2.4 billion dividend on Fortescue's record profit. Tattarang is the holding company for the Forrest family’s private business interests. Tattarang invests in a diverse range of businesses across agri-food, energy, health technology, property, resources, and lifestyle. The group
9600-485: The head of BDO Accounting , who modelled the claims Forrest used, noting they were "utterly unrealistic" and riddled with errors. Treasury concurred that they would be unable to release the assumptions underpinning its forecasts, as they were based on confidential information provided by the big miners. Gillard struck a deal with BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata to develop the MRRT. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie requested
9720-924: The inaugural World Rugby U20 Championship . In 2018, an under 19 age limit was reinstated for the state colts teams. Notes: ^* Summary of all matches in the 2019 Global Rapid Rugby season, including the Asia and Pacific showcases. Notes: ^ Western Force won both the Asia and Pacific showcases in an undefeated 2019 Global Rapid Rugby season. The squad for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season is: Props Hookers Locks Loose forwards Scrum-halves Fly-halves Centres Outside backs Updated 24 June 2023. * denotes combined record across Global Rapid Rugby , National Rugby Championship and all Super Rugby competitions. In November 2007, Western Force players Scott Fava and Richard Brown were fined and ordered to do community service for mistreating protected native quokkas at
9840-580: The mining industry and in cattle stations . With an assessed net worth of A$ 33.29 billion according to the Financial Review 2023 Rich List , Forrest was ranked as the second richest Australian. The Financial Review named him the richest person in Australia in 2008. In 2013, Andrew and Nicola Forrest, his wife, were the first Australian billionaires to pledge the majority of their wealth to charity in their lifetimes. He had earlier stepped down as CEO of Fortescue Metals in 2011. Much of
9960-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
10080-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
10200-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
10320-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
10440-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
10560-699: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
10680-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
10800-537: The revamped 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season . On 10 February the Western Force made their 2006 season rugby debut against the Brumbies at a near sold out Subiaco Oval in Perth, losing 25–10. After this result, the Force had a difficult debut in Super 14. A one-sided loss to the Hurricanes and an ugly loss at home to the Chiefs in Perth followed. Many fans were unimpressed, with only approximately 23,000 turning up to watch
10920-647: The review proposed the creation of the Cashless Welfare Card . Forrest's daughter, Grace volunteered at an orphanage in Nepal and discovered the children she had looked after had been trafficked to be sex slaves in the Middle East . This distressed Grace and motivated her father to act. Grace, aged 21 years, said at a 2014 interfaith meeting held at the Vatican, "I feel like a puppet for hundreds of thousands of girls who are voiceless – if I can stand for them, that
11040-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
11160-468: The sale of 5,000 tonnes (5,500 short tons) of iron ore to the Chinese earthquake relief effort. In October 2013 it was announced that Forrest was to donate A$ 65 million towards higher education in Western Australia. At the time the sum was believed to be the highest philanthropic donation in Australia, with most going toward funding scholarships . The Minderoo Foundation, Forrest's private foundation,
11280-513: The second tier national sides of those countries, along with the Hong Kong national team , Super Rugby sides Melbourne Rebels and the Crusaders , and Japanese club Panasonic Wild Knights . Andrew Forrest's Indo-Pacific Rugby tournament was officially announced as Global Rapid Rugby and began in 2019. The inaugural 2019 season consisted of a series of showcase matches with the competition adopting
11400-574: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
11520-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
11640-473: The stadium is known as HBF Park after WA's biggest health insurer took over naming rights at Perth's home of soccer and rugby. The Force were given a limited grant by the government to improve facilities at the stadium, and the capacity was increased to 20,500 in time for the 2010 Super Rugby Season. Between 2010 and 2011 the State government developed a masterplan for an improved rectangular stadium and then completed
11760-458: The state government would back constitutional action, admitting the tax had been suggested to him as a "sovereign risk". He was highly critical of the government's expenditure of $ 38M on an advertising campaign, that was not approved using the usual processes, as it had to "counter mining industry 'spin' about the resources super profits tax". The former treasurer Wayne Swan said the big miners would pay at least A$ 2 billion tax, and wrote to
11880-571: The state's premier Dr Geoff Gallop, attended a rally at Subiaco Oval, organised by two rugby mothers "the Scrum Mums" (Jennifer Hoskins and Irma Cooper) to show how much the people of Western Australia wanted the franchise. By the end of the first season, the Force finished with the highest crowd average out of all the Australian teams, despite finishing in last place, the fans still came out to see Wallaby stars such as Matt Giteau , Drew Mitchell and Nathan Sharpe (though Mitchell and Giteau were not in
12000-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
12120-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
12240-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
12360-402: The two-year deadline approached, estimates put the number of Indigenous job placements under the scheme at around 2,800, well short of the original goal. Forrest is opposed to welfare dependency for Indigenous Australians. He has recounted stories of young Aboriginal girls in the Pilbara offering men sex for cigarettes, leading to five indigenous women from the region collectively lodging
12480-460: The upset of the year, drawing 23-all with the undefeated defending champion Crusaders . Though the Force were leading 7–0 after several minutes the feeling was still that the Crusaders would win, especially after they scored a try seconds later to make it 7–5. Only when the Force had blown the score out to 17–5 did anyone begin to talk of an upset. Leading 20–8 at half time the Force did not hold on for
12600-511: The venture] I have to admit I became emotional. This is going to change everything. This is set up like a high-achieving, measurement-driven, totally target-oriented company, it's like a hard-edged business. We are out to defeat slavery, we are not out to feel good. This is our mission. You see the complete hopelessness in the eyes [of enslaved people]. It’s like I’m stuck, I will never get help, I am dirt. Then you know that you can’t rest until you free them. In 2014 Andrew and Grace Forrest attended
12720-471: The win after the Crusaders scored two tries and a penalty within the closing half. At 23-all with seconds left the Force crashed over the line but were denied by the television match official. Two days after the draw with the Crusaders, the Force were able to sign rising star Matt Giteau from the Brumbies, effective with the 2007 season. Giteau, whose contract with the Brumbies ended after the 2006 season, inked
12840-456: The youngest of three children of Judith (née Fry) and Donald Forrest. His father, grandfather ( Mervyn ), and great-grandfather ( David ) were all managers of Minderoo Station , which David had established in 1878 with his brothers, Alexander and John . John, Alexander, David, and Mervyn were all members of parliament for periods, with John serving as Western Australia's first premier . Forrest's early years were spent at Minderoo, located in
12960-458: Was Australia's second-tier competition below Super Rugby, taking place after the Super Rugby season and featuring players who were not selected to play for the Australian national team in the test season, similar to New Zealand's Mitre 10 Cup and South Africa's Currie Cup . The Western Force finished 3rd in the 2018 season , being knocked out in the semi-finals, and won the 2019 season , beating
13080-781: Was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at the highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America ,
13200-468: Was completed in September 2013, with a capacity of 20,441. RugbyWA's two elite development squads just below full-time professional level are the Western Force A and WA Under 19 teams. These teams are closely aligned with the Western Force and train at McGillvray Oval , the training base used by the Force. RugbyWA also previously fielded a separate National Rugby Championship team, the Perth Spirit , until
13320-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
13440-629: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
13560-576: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
13680-614: Was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England, the Top 14 in France,
13800-707: Was played in 2019. The 2020 Global Rapid Rugby season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic after only one completed round of competition. After buying back the family property, Minderoo Station in 2009 Forrest acquired the adjoining properties, Nanutarra and Uaroo Stations in 2014, increasing his total pastoral holdings in the Pilbara to 7,300 square kilometres (2,819 sq mi). In August 2015 he acquired both Brick House Station and Minilya Station for an estimated A$ 10 million, bringing his total pastoral holdings to over 10,000 square kilometres (3,861 sq mi). In 2020, Forrest acquired both Quanbun and neighbouring property, Jubilee Downs, in
13920-629: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
14040-653: Was renamed as the Minderoo Group is to be expanded to include higher education contributions. The foundation has given A$ 270 million through the foundation since 2001. In 2014, Andrew and Nicola Forrest pledged A$ 65 million over ten years through the Minderoo Foundation, establishing the Forrest Research Foundation to offer scholarships to students pursuing a PhD at a Western Australian university. In 2017 Forrest donated A$ 400 million to medical research and social causes, and in 2019 donated
14160-399: Was revealed. The home jersey was unveiled on Brendan Cannon , being blue with a black swan. Lachlan MacKay emerged with the side's alternate strip, which was gold with a black swan; black and gold being the State colours of Western Australia . The team's first jersey was auctioned off for $ 30,000, and the first alternate strip was then also auctioned off for $ 30,000 as well. In March 2018,
14280-514: Was sentenced to a $ 5000 fine as well as seven days' community service. Both fines were payable to the Rottnest Island Conservation Foundation. In February 2008, Matt Henjak and Haig Sare were involved in a fight at a pub in Perth. Henjak hit Sare and broke his jaw and was sacked by the Force for misconduct. Haig Sare returned to play for the Force at the end of Season 2008 once his injuries healed. Sponsorship payments from
14400-440: Was unveiled to be a black swan, which is the state's traditional insignia. The swan is set in a blue background, representing the Western Australia coastline and sky, whilst the gold represented the beaches, mineral wealth and sunshine. Some speculated that the team was going to be called the 'Black Swans'. In July at function at the same venue as where the logo was unveiled to the public, the Force's jersey and naming rights sponsor
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