Twiggy Forrest’s IPRC still struggling to make kick-off

Andrew Forrest’s hopes of launching the Indo Pacific Rugby Championship in 2019 have hit a roadblock.

Former Western Force captain Matt Hodgson.

Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s hopes of launching the Indo ­Pacific Rugby Championship in 2019 have hit a roadblock: Rugby Australia is still refusing to fully endorse the competition.

Forrest’s team, which includes former Western Force skipper Matt Hodgson, have been in ­negotiations with the governing body for months.

The IPRC needs to be endorsed by RA before it can then be approved by World Rugby. The six-team competition hopes to ­attract some of the world’s best players, including a host of Australians currently plying their trade overseas, but they would then be able to play for the Wallabies again only in the event of RA’s full endorsement.

However, given the IPRC will run at the same time as Super Rugby, RA has demanded more control over the new competition and is apparently willing to offer only temporary endorsement.

That’s a situation Forrest’s team simply can’t accept given the amount of money they are prepared to pump in.

A Rugby Community event in Perth was planned for this Sunday with certain announcements expected, but it has been postponed because of the breakdown in negotiations.

Forrest’s team will meet RA’s working party in Sydney next week hoping for some sort of agreement. “We were disappointed with the terms they presented to us,” Hodgson said. “It just wasn’t commercially viable.

“They definitely want a lot of control. There are some things that are big stumbling blocks for us, especially around the terms and the length of temporary endorsement.

“We’re looking to go back to them and talk through our thoughts and hopefully we can change this to a permanent ­endorsement. That’s probably a non-negotiable for us.”

Earlier this week, Hodgson wrote a Facebook post criticising RA for its demands regarding the IPRC.

“It remains obvious to us after three months of continuous negotiations that Rugby Australia doesn’t have the best interest of the Western Australian rugby community at heart,” he said.

“Rugby Australia’s demands include money to support east coast-based programs rather than supporting the WA community, even as they are crippling our local rugby infrastructure.

“We will not be sending any more money over east. Our money will remain for our people and to grow our game in WA.

“The RA position is so uncommercial and unreasonable that it ensures the failure of the IPRC before it even starts.”

Meanwhile, NSW Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has challenged his charges to make a fresh start after bidding farewell to a horror 2017 and welcoming the Super Rugby franchise’s bold move into suburban Sydney.

After almost 20 years at the Sydney Football Stadium, the Waratahs now call David Phillips Sports Complex home, a few kilometres away in Daceyville.

Gone are the state-of-the-art facilities, including gym, pool, tennis and squash courts, as well as their high-profile neighbours and Moore Park cafe dining partners, the Sydney Roosters, Sydney Swans and Sydney FC.

One of the attractions of moving base was being able to train any time they liked as the Waratahs will no longer have to fight for ground space with the Roosters and Swans.

AAP