| RugbyWA | |
| Sport: | Rugby union |
| Jurisdiction: | Western Australia |
| Aff: | Rugby Australia |
| Affdate: | 1949 |
| Headquarters: | WA Rugby Centre, Mount Claremont |
| President: | John Welborn |
| Chairman: | John Edwards |
| Chiefexec: | Simon Taylor |
| Prevfounded: | Western Australia Rugby Union |
| Url: | https://wa.rugby/ |
| Countryflag: | Western Australia |
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 2019, more than 35,000 people played rugby union in Western Australia across 36 clubs and 377 teams.[1] 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.
RugbyWA was founded in 1893.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.
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.
| Est. | Colours | Club | Location | Home ground | Premierships* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | ARKs Harrissdale | Harrissdale | Harrissdale Community Oval | N/A | ||
| 1948 | Associates | Swanbourne | Allen Park | 9 (2018) | ||
| 1893 | Cottesloe | Cottesloe | Harvey Field | 12 (2021) | ||
| 1998 | Joondalup Brothers | Joondalup | HBF Arena | N/A | ||
| 1974 | Kalamunda | Forrestfield | Hartfield Park | 1 (2008) | ||
| 1934 | Nedlands | Nedlands | Charles Court Reserve | 16 (2015) | ||
| 1934 | Palmyra | Alfred Cove | Tompkins Park | 3 (2023)* | ||
| 1906 | Perth Bayswater | Morley | Pat O'Hara Reserve | 3 (2007)* | ||
| 1973 | Rockingham | Rockingham | Lark Hill | N/A | ||
| 1987 | Southern Lions | Success | Success Oval | N/A | ||
| 1929 | Uni. of WA | Mount Claremont | UWA Sports Park | 5 (2014) | ||
| 1981 | Wanneroo | Kingsway | Kingsway Reserve | N/A | ||
| 1930 | Wests Scarborough | Doubleview | Bennett Park | 12 (2022) |
*"(year)" Denotes the last year they won the premiership.