There are fears for the way forward for Super Rugby’s Melbourne Rebels after as much as $9 million in debt was revealed after a Rugby Australia inspection of the membership’s books.
News Corp reported RA can not bail out the staff however will make each transfer it may possibly to avoid wasting the staff from folding, with the organisation determined to stay at 5 groups.
But the report acknowledged a pressured merger with the ACT Brumbies, who even have monetary questions, was at the least a risk.
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“Rugby in Victoria is very important to Rugby Australia and it is our intent to continue to have a footprint there in both provincial and Test rugby,” an RA spokesman stated.
“We are working together to overcome the challenges that the Rebels are currently navigating.”
Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson declared the membership will survive.
“I’m absolutely not concerned about the Melbourne Rebels’ ongoing tenure, we’ve got big things coming in 2025 (British & Irish Lions tour) and 2027 (home World Cup), we’ve got a lot to be proud of but also to improve on,” Stephenson stated.
“But we will be fine.
“We’ve been operating with reduced funding due to Covid since November 2020, it’s been challenging no doubt for all Super Rugby clubs. I am confident in the leadership and the board that I’ve got.
“We’re not sitting back and throwing our hands up saying ‘Poor us’. We only just announced a five-year partnership with La Trobe University (on Monday).”
One of the Rebels’ main sponsors, BRC Capital, is within the midst of solvency points whereas the membership should pay a big tax invoice in three weeks’ time.
No Rebels workers or gamers are contracted past 2025.
RA’s reliance on funding from the Victorian authorities, and the massive crowd on the Bledisloe Cup Test on the MCG final 12 months, make the southern state very important for the code’s future.
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
