Super Rugby rookies to debut in Perth

Updated September 21, 2012 16:32:40

An all-Australian opening round will kick off the 2013 Super Rugby competition which includes a new team from South Africa.

The Port Elizabeth-based Kings franchise has replaced the 2012 wooden-spooners, the Lions from Johannesburg, following several years of political lobbying for a team in the south.

The 2013 draw was unveiled on Friday with the Kings scheduled to make their debut against the Western Force in round two at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on February 23.

Due to the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, the home-and-away season extends to 20 weeks which will include two weekends of Australian derbies and two other rounds only involving South African and Kiwi sides.

The Melbourne Rebels will host the Force in the season-opener on February 15 while the Brumbies will be at home to the Queensland Reds the following night.

The NSW Waratahs have a first-round bye before meeting arch-rivals Queensland in round two at Lang Park in Brisbane.

The Waratahs, keen for more day-time matches at Allianz Stadium, will host the Blues and Force in back-to-back Sunday afternoon encounters in round six and seven.

The Force will be early-season travellers and must wait until round six before their first home game against the Cheetahs on March 23.

All five Australian sides will play against the touring Lions before the Wallabies three-Test series, which isn't aligned with the All Blacks and Springboks internationals.

It makes for staggered rest periods and a disrupted draw with the Australian sides breaking from Super Rugby when the Wallabies-Lions clash from June 22 to July 6.

"The Lions tour to Australia presented some unique challenges in preparing the 2013 Super Rugby draw," SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said.

"The 2012 Super Rugby season was the most watched season of Super Rugby ever, both in terms of those attending matches live and also viewing on television. The 2013 draw will hopefully see us grow those numbers again."

The defending champion Chiefs begin their campaign in Dunedin against the Highlanders in round two while the Bulls and Stormers kick off the season for the South African conference.

The six-team finals series starts on July 19 with the final scheduled for August 3.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, perth-6000, australia, wa

First posted September 21, 2012 16:00:53

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Perth Glory unhappy over construction schedule

Updated June 07, 2012 19:46:41

The Perth Glory has threatened to walk away from Perth Oval over a dispute about upgrades to the stadium.

The State Government has announced further redevelopment of the site, with the southern stand being replaced and seats added to the northern end in front of the shed area.

Glory owner Tony Sage says the construction schedule affects the club unfairly, by reducing seating capacity.

"We've been told that our fans are only going to be allowed to have 5,000 seats for next year, the whole season," he said.

"And as soon as our season's finished, rugby starts two weeks later, they've already scheduled away games for those two weeks, and they get a full, brand new, 22,000 seat stadium with no disruption."

He says the Glory will play its first game of next season at Subiaco Oval and is looking at the Burswood Dome as a more permanent option.

But Sports Minister Terry Waldron says the long-term gains will outweigh the disruption to the Perth Glory season.

"Obviously they're going to have some disruptions next season," he said.

"And while that's unfortunate, they've [Glory] been aware of that the whole way through.

"And I guess the long term benefits and their ability to provide for their fan base, their ability to earn finance through the ground will be greatly enhanced."

The State Opposition says the government needs to take the Perth Glory's concerns about the redevelopment of Perth Oval seriously.

Labor spokesman Roger Cook says the government needs to sit down with Mr Sage in an effort to stop him from walking away from the venue.

"It's concerning that the government will spend $95 million doing up NIB Stadium and the people who seem most unhappy with it is the soccer community of Western Australia," he said.

Mr Waldron says the new additions will be built within the $95 million budget.

"When we announced the budget of $95.1 million, we said the budget was for the eastern stand and we were going to look at opportunities to do other works," he said.

"And we thought there may have been some scope there; as it's turned out, there is."

Work will start on the stadium on 2 July, following the Western Force's final game of the 2012 Super Rugby season.

The stadium is expected to be finished in March 2013.

Tags: government-and-politics, super-rugby, soccer, perth-6000

First posted June 07, 2012 13:54:25

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O'Connor set to stay in Perth

Updated June 8, 2011 13:20:00

Rival Australian franchises have conceded defeat in the race to sign James O'Connor, admitting the Wallabies star is now likely to stay with the Western Force.

In-demand playmaker O'Connor, whose contract winds up at the end of the Super Rugby season, has been linked with all five Australian super rugby franchises.

But both Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan and Reds coach Ewen McKenzie have admitted talks with O'Connor amounted to nothing.

Fagan said although O'Connor is yet to confirm his decision, his manager informed the Brumbies yesterday of his intention to stay in Perth.

"That was his intention and I think he's still got some work to do with the ARU to finalise all of that, but he'll be staying in Perth," Fagan said.

"He thanked us for our offer and reaffirmed we were a genuine consideration, but this time we've missed out."

McKenzie admitted he had been resigned for some time to the notion Queensland would miss out on O'Connor's signature.

"We've been contacted and he won't be at the Reds," McKenzie said.

"Where he is going to be I don't know."

McKenzie said the delay meant O'Connor was unlikely to leave Perth.

"I've always said it is difficult to get people to leave and move around," he said.

"The longer it goes on, the less likely it is. I have always been, I guess, suspicious he wasn't coming our way for some time because it's been dragging on.

"I've been thinking more laterally for some time."

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, act, canberra-2600, wa, perth-6000

First posted June 8, 2011 12:29:00

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