Global Rapid Rugby was three years in the making but its inaugural season is set to be over after just one day.
About 2000 diehard fans turned out to watch the Western Force post a 51-14 win over Malaysia Valke in their GRR debut at HBF Park on Saturday night.
But the spread of the coronavirus is set to force GRR to either cancel or postpone the rest of the 2020 season.
Andrew Forrest’s new competition has teams based in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, and Hong Kong.
With travel restrictions growing tougher by the day, GRR organisers will have no choice but to end the 2020 season after just one round.
An official decision is set to be made on either Sunday or Monday.
“You’ve got to put it into context – this is a once-in-a-century thing,” GRR chief executive Mark Evans said.
“These are extra ordinary times.
“I just looked at Italy’s death rate … this (GRR) is a game of footy.”
The cancellation of sport around the world is going to put individual clubs and sporting organisations under huge financial pressure.
Some may not be able to stay afloat.
But GRR has one massive advantage – a billionaire mining magnate in its corner.
Forrest pledged his allegiance to the Force when they were cut from Super Rugby in 2017 and he’s stated numerous times that he will back GRR for the long haul.
Force coach Tim Sampson said it would be sad if GRR’s inaugural season had to be cancelled after just one round but he understood the situation.
Sampson believes GRR will have a bright future once the coronavirus crisis is over.
“It’s grown year to year, the level of play has grown, the standard has grown, the commercial interest globally – it’s been recognised,” he said.
“It’s going ahead in leaps and bounds, and we’re just thankful to be part of it.”