RUGBY NEWS - Western Force suffered a significant blow to their hopes for reinstatement into the Super Rugby competition by losing a court appeal on Tuesday against their axing.
The NSW Supreme Court in Sydney dismissed an appeal made by Force's parent body Rugby WA against the Australian Rugby Union's decision to cut the Perth-based franchise from next year's Super Rugby competition.
"This now means the ARU have the ability to remove the Western Force from the Super Rugby competition," Rugby WA said in a statement.
"Rugby WA will evaluate its legal options and consider grounds to seek leave to appeal to the NSW Court of Appeal in the coming days."
It had appealed an original court decision that a new SANZAAR broadcast deal for 15 teams was legally binding, therefore nullifying a agreement between the ARU and the Force guaranteeing them survival until the end of 2020.
