RugbyWA

The Western Australia Rugby Union (RugbyWA) is the governing body of rugby union in Western Australia. The organisation develops and fosters rugby in Western Australia, from junior level to professional level. As of 2024, more than 13,923 people played rugby union in Western Australia across 33 clubs and 275 teams. As of 2019, the state government provided around $160,000 a year towards RugbyWA's operating costs.

The highest competition run by the organisation is the RugbyWA Premier Grade.

History

RugbyWA was founded in 1893. The organisation's inaugural competition commenced in 1895 with four teams: the I Zingari, Fremantle, Swans and Midland Junction Club. The WARU Senior Grade competition was contested from 1895 to 1913.

The Rugby Football code went into recess in the west from the 1914 season until 1928 when 4 Clubs; Wanderers, Rangers, Wallabies and Fremantle revived the First Grade Club Competition.

In 2004, RugbyWA successfully secured the fourth Australian Super 12 licence, entering a team in the expanded Super 14 competition from 2006, called the Western Force.

In 2009, RugbyWA were given a $2.4 million interest-free loan to upgrade nib Stadium. As of 2019, RugbyWA were still $1 million in debt to the state government.

In 2016, Rugby Australia bought the Force intellectual property – including naming rights, colours and branding – from RugbyWA in an $800,000 deal to help the franchise out of financial difficulty. The move effectively handed ownership of the Force to Rugby Australia. The following year, Rugby Australia cut the Force from the Super Rugby competition. RugbyWA took legal action to try to save the team, but was ultimately unsuccessful and the organisation was unable to afford to pay legal costs. As a result, RugbyWA briefly went into voluntary administration. Rugby Australia ultimately agreed to hand back its licence and to waive a $1 million legal bill. The club name and IP was leased back to RugbyWA as part of the deal.

Representative teams In addition to the Western Force, who currently compete in Super Rugby, RugbyWA also established the Perth Spirit in 2007. The team competed in the Australian Rugby Championship and National Rugby Championship before disbanding in 2018. In the National Rugby Championship, the Spirit won in 2016 while the Force won in 2019.

Clubs

Premier Grade (1st Grade) Est.ColoursClubLocationHome groundPremierships*1948AssociatesSwanbourneAllen Park10 (2024)1893CottesloeCottesloeHarvey Field12 (2021)1998Joondalup BrothersJoondalupHBF ArenaN/A1974KalamundaForrestfieldHartfield Park1 (2008)1934NedlandsNedlandsCharles Court Reserve16 (2015)1934PalmyraAlfred CoveTompkins Park3 (2023)*1906Perth BayswaterMorleyPat O'Hara Reserve3 (2007)*1987Southern LionsSuccessSuccess OvalN/A1929Uni. of WAMount ClaremontUWA Sports Park5 (2014)1981WannerooKingswayKingsway Reserve1 (2025)1930Wests ScarboroughDoubleviewBennett Park12 (2022)1995 -Mandurah PiratesMandurahMeadow SpringsN/A

1 of the 3 premierships won by Perth Bayswater was won as Perth-Suburbs 5 of the 12 premierships won by Wests Scarborough were won as Western Suburbs and 3 of the 12 premierships won by Wests Scarborough as Wests-Scarborough *"(year)" Denotes the last year they won the premiership.

Championship & Community Grade +Est.ColoursClubLocationHomeground1973RockinghamRockinghamLark Hill1975ARKs HarrissdaleHarrissdaleHarrissdale Community Oval2019Bunbury BarbariansAustralindLeschenault leisure Centre N/ABunbury City BullsBunburyHay Park North2016Perth IrishBelmontCentenary Park1969Curtin UniversityBentleyEdinburgh oval1996Dunsborough BusseltonBusseltonBarnard Park2010Kwinana WolvesWellardWellard Oval2007North CoastButlerHalesworth Park

RugbyWA

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