Western Force stalwart Matt Hodgson says the ARU is killing his love of rugby after the governing body rejected another offer to save the Perth-based franchise.
On Tuesday, Billionaire Andrew Forrest offered to pump tens of millions of dollars into Australian rugby if the ARU reversed their decision to axe the Force. But the ARU say they can't reverse their decision because they already told governing body SANZAAR they would axe one Australian franchise.
The matter will now be decided by the NSW Supreme Court after RugbyWA won the right to appeal.
Hodgson, a foundation player at the Force, is widely considered to be the franchise's heart and soul. The 36-year-old has been a tireless campaigner for rugby in Western Australia and around the country. But in an emotional Facebook post written shortly after the ARU rejected Forrest's financial offer, Hodgson said the ARU was killing his love of the game.
"Today might just be the day I finally (lose) the love of the game, after another opportunity to make the right decision again was wasted. It's never too late to make the right decision," Hodgson wrote.
"Will the love ever come back? I'm not sure."
Hodgson, a qualified mental health first aider, said this year has been by far the hardest of his rugby career. And that's from a man who has broken his nose 33 times, endured reconstructions of his knee (two times), shoulder (three times) and ankle (two times), and almost had his ear ripped off.
"I have been close to being forced out of the game on many occasions due to injury. Even in the darkest of my days I still loved the game. The game was not to blame," Hodgson wrote.