Former Western Force star Cameron Shepherd says he's embarrassed to be a Wallaby as anger swells at the Super Rugby club's axing by the Australian Rugby Union.
The Force lost an appeal in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday to remain in the competition, leading to an outpouring of emotion from past and current players.
Retiring captain Matt Hodgson was reduced to tears while speaking to media after the decision.
Shepherd, capped 60 times for the Force and the franchise's leading point-scorer, said there was a huge disconnect between fans of the game and those who ran it.
"The ARU will regret it," the nine-Test Wallaby told Fox Sports.
"It's embarrassing. I'm embarrassed to be a Wallaby at this point in time by the way we're being governed.
"Embarrassed to part of a big organisation that is now treating the game that I love the way they do."
Foundation Force captain Nathan Sharpe said it was a "horrible day for rugby union in Australia".
"How did we possibly end up here & get this so bloody wrong," the Wallabies legend said on Twitter.
Former Western Force flyer Scott Staniforth blamed the ARU for killing the game.
"Finding it very hard to respect anything the (ARU) stands for," he tweeted.
Force squad members Pek Cowan and Heath Tessmann were also scathing.
Wallabies prop Cowan said the decision was "bullshit".
Tessmann, who captained the Force during the 2017 season, complained the players were "always the last to know".
The Rugby Union Players Association reiterated its view Australia could sustain five professional rugby teams.
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan vowed his government would continue to fight for the Force.
"Disappointing for the State. WA has invested both emotionally and financially in our (Western Force). We won't stop the fight here, (ARU)," McGowan tweeted.
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