"World Series Rugby" aka "Global Rapid Rugby"

[Stargazer]

The World Series Rugby, organised/financed by billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest, will start this week.

IIRC, it's only meant to be held this year as the Indo Pacific Rugby Championship (IPRC) - a competition organised around the Western Force - is supposed to start next year. I've not been able to find updated info about Rugby Australia approving the IPRC (important for Wallabies elegibility of Western Force players participating in the IPRC).

Anyway, this is the match schedule for the World Series Rugby (local time in Perth = NZT + 4 hours):

Not sure whether they expect anyone outside Perth to watch these games. This Friday's game is - in part - played at the same time as the Rebels v Crusaders game. Sky & Foxtel don't seem to broadcast the game (but tv guides may change, of course). Or maybe they will be livestreamed?

[Stargazer]

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 Grant

Reserves
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

[Stargazer]

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.

[Hooroo]

@Stargazer WOW! I had forgotten.

I want to watch just because of this.

[Machpants]

Rubbish rules apart from the scrum idea, scrum rests are a bore - didn't say what happens at the end of that minute, tho?

[booboo]

Like the line out rule.

Rest are shit.

[dogmeat]

Power Try's - WTFFF?

[antipodean]

I hope this dies a painful, expensive death. Power tries. What a stupid concept.

[Stargazer]

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.

[taniwharugby]

@stargazer if they really wanted to 'sell it' shoulda given it to tvnz for FTA.

[Stargazer]

@taniwharugby Yep, and schedule it at another time. Now, it's at the same time as the second half of Rebels v Crusaders.

[Tordah]

So, intercepting a ball inside your own 22 and then running the length of the field and scoring is worth 9 points there? Hah

[Stargazer]

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.

[NTA]

@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.

[Gunner]

World Series Rugby?

Are these clowns serious calling it that, or are they just trying to be American?

[Kiap]

@gunner said in "World Series Rugby" aka Indo Pacific Rugby Championship prequel:

just trying to be American?

Ever heard of Kerry Packer?

Betoota

[Bones]

@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?

[Kiap]

@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!

[Stargazer]

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.”

[TeWaio]

@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.