The Melbourne Rebels were dropped from Super Rugby Pacific after a consortium planned to take over the side was deemed as carrying “unacceptable risk”. The Rebels entered voluntary administration in January after running up debts of AU$23 million (£12 million). Players and staff were informed on Thursday before they boarded a plane for Fiji to play their final game before the Super Rugby finals.
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Australian Super Rugby Pacific side Melbourne Rebels have been axed from the competition due to financial difficulties.
The Rebels entered voluntary administration five months ago, prior to which they had accumulated a debt of AU$23 million (£12 million).
Rugby Australia (RA) confirmed on Thursday that they had not accepted a proposal from a consortium to take over the club in 2025.
RA broke the news to staff and players before they boarded a plane to Fiji for the Rebels’ final round against the Fijian Drua. They are set to contest their first Super Rugby Pacific finals series this season, currently sitting seventh in the league.
The future of the Rebels’ Super Rugby Women’s team remains up in the air.
RA chief executive Phil Waugh and chairman Daniel Herbert explained that the consortium, fronted by Australian businessman and former Qantas chair Leigh Clifford, carried “unacceptable risk” due to a lack of detail in its plan.
“We’ve been waiting for some time to allow the consortium to get as much detailed and accurate information to us to make a decision and that wasn’t forthcoming to the satisfaction of what we would deem a reasonable level of risk,” Herbert said.
“It was clear through even their very ambitious financial modelling that there would need to be a very high risk of RA again stepping in to have to contribute large amounts of money to keep the club going.”
Herbert said that the Rebels’ board had “let rugby stakeholders in Victoria down.”
“We are now six years away from where Rugby Australia paid $13.8 million towards Rebels debts back in 2017 and gave an additional $6 million of funding,” he added.
“There’s been tens of millions of dollars that has been spent on this franchise over and above other Super Rugby clubs.”
As part of the statement released by the club, the Rebels said:
“Everyone at the Rebels remains committed to, and passionate about Rugby in Victoria – and we will never stop advocating for and supporting the sport at all levels in this state. We urge all fellow Rugby fans to do the same…
“We are proud of our players, coaches, and staff in delivering such a successful season in the most challenging of circumstances.
“From everyone at the Rebels, a most sincere thank you to the members, fans, sponsors and partners of our beloved club over the last 14 years.
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