AusLeisure

Rugby Australia has today announced that it will no longer support the financially troubled Melbourne Rebels going into the 2025 Super Rugby season.

A statement from Rugby Australia this morning said the application from the consortium hoping to take over the Rebels to participate in next year's competition had been unsuccessful as it "did not demonstrate sufficient financial viability".

The Rugby Australia (RA) statement went on to say “since the Rebels’ inaugural year in 2011, (the club) has not been independently financially sustainable despite significant additional investment by RA over and above committed club grant.

"There is nothing in the consortium’s proposal which demonstrates with sufficient certainty that this will change."

The news comes as the club, currently seventh on the Super Rugby Pacific table, are preparing for their first finals campaign in 14 years in the competition.

The Rebels have been in voluntary administration since January with debts owed to creditors exceeding $23 million including an $11.5 million debt to the tax office.

Rugby Australia cut staff and took over player and coaching payments for the season, with the Rebels handing over their competition licence.

A private consortium put forward a plan to fund the club until 2030, which was supported by the administrator but the governing body and the Australian Tax Office voted against the deal at the creditors' meeting.

The Rugby Australia statement added "RA does not take this decision lightly, however it must act in the best interests of the game and its stakeholders, and to provide certainty for the Rebels' players and staff, and all Super Rugby clubs in planning for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

"Given the lack of detail made available to RA … RA has determined that there is an unacceptable level of risk associated with entering into a Participation Agreement with this Consortium for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season."

The club, meanwhile, released a statement thanking fans for their support (above).

Rugby Australia went on to advise that it is currently working through the appropriate footprint for the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s competition.

Main image credit: Rugby Australia.

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