Former Force players and fans slam ARU's decision to cut the Force

Former Force players and fans have been out in force on social media, slamming the ARU's decision to cut the Force.

Foundation Force captain Nathan Sharpe wasted little time in voicing his anger at the call to cut the Perth franchise from Super Rugby in 2018, describing it as the biggest misstep the governing body could have made.

He tweeted “the biggest mistake the ARU could have made ‑ Time to clear the decks and start fresh”.

Western Force coach Dave Wessels also wrote on Twitter “Sad day“.

The Australian Rugby Union said the decision to "discontinue the Force's licence" was based primarily on financial outcomes.

It says the decision comes after several weeks of consultation with rugby bodies and stakeholders, including government and commercial partners.

The Kings and Cheetahs teams in South Africa have already been cut from the competition.