I hate to say this, but the ARU are right to axe a team. It's all well and good to blame the ARU bosses for the failings of Australian rugby, but they cannot keep bailing out these money-losing franchises. The money simply isn't there.
Of course it's bad news for Australian rugby, but does anyone want to argue a five-team system is working for Australian rugby? No Australian team is playing well right now, and three of the five are struggling to draw in five-figure crowds.
If we want to get fans back, then teams have to start winning games. Instead, we're spread too thin.
And the situation is getting worse for Australian rugby. The game's status is on the slide. Fewer people are watching on TV, buying tickets or playing. The Wallabies are deeply uninspiring, and there's nothing like a Lions tour or home World Cup on the horizon.
Don't get me wrong. It sucks. It sucks for the players and staff of the axed team. It sucks for their fan base. It sucks that rugby is surrendering a market. But what's the solution? Making the ARU board work for free is not going to make the Force or the Rebels or the Brumbies profitable.