Billionaire's riches stir rugby's sleeping giant as Force land drought-breaking Super W win
After snapping a four year win drought, the cashed-up Western Force are ready to emerge as a genuine Super W threat in 2023.
That's the opinion of Stan Sport's Morgan Turinui and Sean Maloney, in the wake of the Force's 13-5 victory over the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday.
The Force's last Super W victory came in 2019 against the Rebels but it has been hard going since then in a competition dominated by the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds and, more recently, Fijiana Drua.
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Martha Mataele of the Force runs with the ball. Getty
But, with the backing of billionaire club owner Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, the Force have thrown increased investment into their women's program this year,
The Force recruited Sydney University's Claudia Bell to a new women's high performance role, signed former Wallaby Matt Hodgson as Super W coach along with international players Michaela Leonard, Yuna Sato, Rachel Laqeretabua and Martha Mataele - the wife of Force men's winger Manasa.
"They have the rights to a few more imports, which is fine but also they put money into their program," former Wallaby Turinui said on Between Two Posts.
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In 2020, Forrest pledged to donate $7 million to creating a grassroots to elite pathways program.
"It just makes a difference, it's obviously the wonderful support of the Forrest family and the Force and Western Australian rugby working together in alignment to bring quality through," Turinui said.
"Putting money towards your program so players can better themselves day in, day out has long term effects. We've seen it with the Rebels in the men's side, we're seeing it with the Force women."
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Forrest's investment has extended to establishing the first ever semi-professional Super W academy, something the Force believe gives them a long term edge over rival teams.
It is used to advance athletes under the age of 21 into the top squad, while receiving professional quality training and treatment.
"They might start to click and challenge those more favoured teams in Super W," Maloney said.
Andrew Forrest addresses players after a Super Rugby match between the Force and the Waratahs in 2017. Getty
"They could go deep throughout the back end of the year."
The 1-2 Force now sit fourth in the six-team competition and host the defending champion Drua on Sunday.
"It's good to finally get a W on the board," Force captain Trilleen Pomare told Stan Sport.
"We made it hard for ourselves but a win's a win. It's a feeling we don't know so we've got to learn to win and string together some consistent performances, so this is the start of it."
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