Western Force captain Ian Prior has plenty of sympathy for the Sunwolves but admits the Japanese franchise’s axing presents a unique opportunity for Global Rapid Rugby.
In a time of seismic shifts in the global rugby landscape, SANZAAR is set to announce on Friday that the Tokyo-based Sunwolves will exit Super Rugby, most likely from 2021.
Prior was part of a Force squad which suffered the same fate in 2017 when the Australian Rugby Union downsized to four Super franchises and, on the eve of his club’s Rapid Rugby Showcase opener against the World XV in Perth on Friday, said he knows exactly what the Sunwolves are going through.
“I’m certainly feeling for them, you hear different reports, but hopefully they didn’t have to find out like we did via Twitter in a cafe with your mates,” Prior said.
“We’re really thinking of them - feeling for them - it wasn’t a nice thing for us to have to go through so I’m sure they’re struggling and going through that process at the moment, particularly after they’ve had a really good start to the season and they’ve had sold-out games pretty much every week.
“Obviously it’s a bit of a changing landscape there, but another opportunity for Global Rapid Rugby in that space there, and maybe having a quality Japanese side that’s established and ready to go.”
Global Rapid Rugby, owned by WA mining magnate Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, has been mooted as a possible future home for the Sunwolves, along with teams from Japan, Malaysia and Australia’s east coast.
Prior has already had to call on his experience in dealing with off-field uncertainty once this year when Global Rapid Rugby’s postponement was announced at the end of January.
But the 28-year-old scrum half, who had stints at the Reds, Brumbies and London Harlequins before landing in Perth, insists it’s just another speed bump.
“It was a bit of a curve ball, but having the senior players to lean on and having that experience having gone through something a lot worse a couple of years ago with the Force, we just have to focus on ourselves,” he said.
“The goalposts might shift, but I guess it’s similar to when you’re travelling internationally in Super Rugby - flights get delayed and training schedules get changed around - so you’ve got to be pretty nimble on your feet and focus on what you can control.
“There was plans for the Showcase series in case it (Global Rapid Rugby) didn’t happen and whatnot, so it was obviously a bit of a curve ball and the younger guys took a couple of days to process it, but it’s a real credit to the players and the staff in this organisation how they’ve handled that.”
The World XV clash is the first of six home Showcase fixtures at HBF Park in 2019, and Force coach Tim Sampson says he’s had to pull back on the reins this week after a particularly long pre season.
“Yeah, it’s been a tricky one. When we did come back in on January 3 we were looking at about six weeks until our first game, then that got bumped back, and we’re now in our 12th week of pre season,” Sampson said.
“It has been long, and a bit of a grind, and certainly over the last two or three weeks it’s been difficult to manage and keep that motivation up, but they’re absolutely raring to go.”
After the Force’s National Rugby Championship semi-final loss to Queensland Country in late October, Sampson kept the squad together before a five-week break from the start of December, a policy which is now paying dividends.
“The reason I wanted to do that was because of what last year was where guys pretty quickly packed up and moved over here for the first time, whether it was from east coast or overseas,” he said.
“I wanted to give them the opportunity to go home and have a really good break with their families, rather than just the eight days or so.
“They came back in January and all but three players met their targets, which was incredibly pleasing.”
Sampson also praised the influence of senior players like Prior, Heath Tessman and Marcel Brache in helping the squad through the uncertainty around where and when they’ll be playing.
“They led by example, and everyone else just followed,” the former Canberra Vikings NRC coach said.
“It was very hard to manage - it flattened me a bit - but instincts kicked in and I thought straight away that I’ve got to lead here, for 14 staff members and 33 athletes that I’ve got to be a bit of a rock for and stay positive for.
“We were pretty flat for a week or so there, naturally, but I’ve said to the guys a few times from then to now, their attitude around the place and their application out on the training field has been absolutely outstanding.
“I think, going back to those guys who were part of the Western Force previously, straight away they knew they just had to get on with the job.”
It’s also business as usual for the club’s notoriously loyal Sea of Blue fan base, and with Force old boys Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins and Digby Ioane in the World XV, the club are hoping the off-field drama won’t have a huge impact on crowds which consistently reached 14,000 last year.
“What we will see is that core group of supporters, and it’s large, they won’t drop off. They’ll certainly be there. The Sea of Blue are fantastic,” Sampson said.
“Although we are expecting a bit of a drop off initially, with the quality of this World XV squad and Nick Cummins - he’ll obviously attract a few in his own way.
“They’re just hungry to see some rugby, and hopefully we get to that 10,000 people, which is a good start this year considering how late we went to market with the fixtures.”
The Western Force take on the World XV at HBF Stadium, Perth, 7.30pm (local time); 10.30pm (AEST). LIVE on SBS Viceland.
Western Force
1. Cameron Orr
2. Feleti Kaitu’u
3. Keiran Longbottom
4. Johan Bardoul
5. Jeremy Thrush
6. Henry Stowers
7. Chris Alcock
8. Brynard Stander
9. Ian Prior (c)
10. Andrew Deegan
11. Clay Uyen
12. Henry Taefu
13. Marcel Brache
14. Brad Lacey
15. Jack McGregor
RESERVES
16. Andrew Ready
17. Harrison Lloyd
18. Chris Heiberg
19. Leon Power
20. Tevin Ferris
21. Issak Fines
22. AJ Alatimu
23. Nick Jooste
