New WA Rugby Super 14 Team Named

[tajiritarantula]

Rugby WA has announced the Perth franchise in the new expanded Super 14 competition which kicks off next year, will be known as the WESTERN FORCE.

The announcement was made at a press conference in Perth today.

The new team will wear yellow and black colours and its logo will feature a black swan with the word 'Force' emblazoned across the bottom.

Rugby WA came up with the name and logo after fielding more than 600 suggestions from local fans.

Its chief executive Peter O'Meara said the name represented the impact the Perth franchise intended to have on the new Super 14 competition.

"There's a new force in Australian rugby, it's the Western Force and that name represents the power and the impact that this new team will have on the playing fields of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia," he said.

Mr O'Meara said the state's rugby supporters would welcome the announcement of the team's name.

"It quickly became clear that Western Force was the stand out because of how well it represents a powerful, energetic team that will unite and inspire the WA community," he said.

Western Force coach John Mitchell said the choice of name was appropriate for the Perth-based team.

"It is a great name, and one that reflects our local environment," he said.

"It portrays the lifestyle that we live in and is underpinned by the values that came out of the extensive community consultation."

Rugby WA chairman Geoff Stooke said the team's colours were a logical choice.

"We feel that the blue and the gold do represent so many things about Western Australia, and we felt the black was important with respect to the swan," he said.

The team's jersey is expected to be unveiled in June.




THE NEW LOGO:

[Jasper]

Im not quite sure about there logo, looks a bit wierd with the purpley background but i rekon theyll have a good time in the Super 14
obiously it will be hard for them starting off but in a few years time theyll be up there winning finals

[[D619S-Arrow]]

I rekon the logo represents WA well.. The Swan looks good and 'Force" is impacting.. but yeah the purple

[tajiritarantula]

*bump*

PLAYING STRIP REVEALED
The Western Force has officially unveiled its new black and blue playing strip for its debut in next year's expanded Super 14 rugby tournament.

But Australia's latest sporting team admits it still has plenty of "grey areas" to overcome before combating the likes of the Crusaders and Waratahs in 2006.

Wallabies hooker and inaugural Force signing Brendan Cannon was on hand to reveal the uniform the team will wear in its debut next March.

The Western Australian symbol of the black swan wraps around an 'ocean blue' shirt from front to back - a considerably darker blue than that worn by NSW.

As expected airline Emirates also adorns the shirt front as the team's inaugural major sponsor in a multi-million dollar deal signed until the end of 2008.

Gold replaces the blue in the otherwise identical away strip.

The uniform has strong ties to Western Australian culture and is designed to appeal to locals, with Rugby WA officials hopeful of building a strong following in the traditional AFL state.

While the unveiling of the uniform represents another step towards next year's Super 14 competition, coach John Mitchell conceded there was still plenty to be done before the team became a rugby force.

A winger is still being sought to complete the roster, while issues such as the layoff between games during the season were still to be determined.

A rugby academy is also being built.

"Today is a fantastic milestone and occasion for the club, we have created some history," Mitchell said.

"(But) we've got a long way to go.

"We haven't completed recruitment - we are still looking for a winger both overseas and here.

"We are building our academy and we are less than three months away from commencing operations professionally.

"We have a start date in the competition and we know the teams we are likely to play in the rounds - but we have no turnaround times.

"So there is lot of grey areas that still exist in the plan."

Cannon, Nathan Sharpe, Matt Henjak and Lachlan Mackay are among the Force's impressive list of recruits.

The squad will assemble in late September, with training to begin the following month.

Cannon, who was excited at the prospect of being a foundation member of the Force, said putting the uniform on made the new team feel more of a reality.

"I think it will stand out," Cannon said of the playing strip.

"The fact that we have now got it, and been able to wear it today, for all of us this dream is now becoming very real."

Cannon is a big fan of the uniform he described as "loud" and felt it wouldn't take long to become a hit in Perth and even internationally.

"I think it's fantastic," Cannon said.

"I think it certainly makes a proud statement, representing the whole WA region.

"It certainly is loud, but I think it has already been a hit with all the guys that have worn it today, both the home and away strip.

"I also think it will be a massive success commercially amongst our supporters and even in other parts of world that we play in."



This strip looks awesome.... the one on the left is the away shirt, and on the right is the home... personally I prefer the away, but that is gonna show the grass stains heaps LOL!

[Lance]

That strip is kinda lame. It is boring and does not give the true representation of the Western Spirit. They should add a fancy logo on the front with like the tornado from Bunbury or something like that... instead of boring old shirts with lines.

[[D619S-Arrow]]

Agreed, If that picture there is what the Strip is gonna look like with the Fly Emirates big on the front.. It doesn't represent WA at all.. A good symbol on the shirt could be something like a swan.. Or a good logo like the Western Warriors Cricket Team.. Now they are a great inspiration in both dress and rolemodelling

[Conti]

What the hell I'm not Exactley understanding in the 1st post didn't they say the where gonna make the Home colours Yellow and Black but now the Home colours are Blue Black. Not understanding and also where is the logo being displayed it should be in the Middle of the shirt not the fly emirates. No offesne to the People who Create the Shirt but there kind bogus.

They Should have the western Force written on it Bigger and the Main Logo should be the Swan