The Melbourne Rebels will be able to play out the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific competition. Photo: Photosport
Rugby Australia have struck an 11th-hour deal to ensure the crisis-hit Melbourne Rebels will be able to host the ACT Brumbies in their Super Rugby Pacific opener.
Rugby Australia(RA) have struck an 11th-hour deal to ensure the crisis-hit Melbourne Rebels will be able to host the ACT Brumbies in their Super Rugby Pacific opener on Friday.
The club went into administration with millions of dollars of debts at the end of last month but RA have given assurances the Rebels will see out the season.
Tickets for Friday's match at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium will now go on sale and RA said a new venue agreement with the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust had been put in place for the "remainder of 2024".
Super Rugby's "Super Round", in which all six matches take place at one venue, will be staged at the 29,500-seat stadium in the first weekend in March.
Administrators made all Rebels staff excluding the players redundant last week but RA immediately re-hired 83% of permanent employees, mostly on temporary contracts until the end of the season.
The Rebels are one of Australia's five Super Rugby franchises and the future of the 13-year-old franchise beyond the end of the season remains uncertain.
"RA continues to engage with the administrator, government and various relevant stakeholders on the future of the Rebels beyond this season," RA said in a statement
"It is expected that a decision on that future will be made before the end of Super Rugby Pacific."
The Super Rugby season concludes in mid June.
-Reuters