WA Rugby set for strong growth
WA Rugby has brushed off the negative attention the new national rugby competition has gathered revealing it sees nothing but strong growth for the competition in Perth.
Peter O'Meara, the CEO of WA Rugby, outlined the confidence his organisation has in the new APC with the belief that along with the introduction of the Western Force, this competition is the best thing to have happened to rugby since professionalism.
As the Western Force reaches new heights and new attendance barriers, you would think the CEO of WA Rugby would be brash in his expectations for the Perth Spirit. Instead he chooses a more conservative approach, when asked about whether he expects the Spirit to gain the highest crowds in the country.
"It's difficult to speculate on numbers this far out from the tournament, but hosting the games at a rectangular stadium is certainly going to help...it's hard to know exactly how the five NSW and Queensland clubs in the ARC will be received by their rugby heartlands...we understand that Melbourne is also expecting strong numbers".
The numbers they are expecting is not of greatest priority, more so that the competition provides greater depth to Australian Rugby, in an increasingly competitive sports market.
"I think that a third tier competition (behind the Wallabies and Super 14) will enhance the depth of Australian rugby. Depth has been an issue for many years, and the ARC will provide top level rugby for over 220 Australian players."
Yet he states his concern about excessive expectations for the first year, outlining that he expects a slow build up for the new competition.
"It could take time for supporters to get behind eight new teams across the country and form tribal followings, and player movements - that is, having professional players from super 14 teams move to, say, Melbourne - may take time for fans to adjust to."
It then poses the question, where does O'Meara see the Perth Spirit and APC in five year's time?
"In five years time I see the Spirit playing in the final against our new arch-rivals - a team which is yet to be decided - in front of 20,000+ screaming fans in our newly re-developed rectangular stadium! I don't need to feign excitement about the ARC; I think, along with the advent of the Emirates Western Force, this is the best thing to happen to Australian rugby as a whole since professionalism...those with vision see the long term benefits that this competition will have."
This optimism is more so long term, than short term. While the success of the Force was overnight O'Meara argues that this will be a vision that could eventually play a role as large as the Currie Cup.
"I firmly believe the ARC can grow into Australia's version of New Zealand's NPC or South Africa's Currie Cup, which both act as feeder competitions to their respective Super 14 sides."
