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Melbourne Rebels in danger as CEO and staff lose jobs - report

Rebels players prepare for a scrum during the Super Rugby Pacific Trial Match between Melbourne Rebels and NSW Waratahs at Harold Caterson Reserve on February 03, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Just days after entering voluntary administration, the Melbourne Rebels have seen their entire non-playing coaching staff, including chief executive Baden Stephenson, be made redundant.

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According to a report in The Age, administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers terminated the contracts of the workforce in the face of $20 million in debts and with only  $17,300 in the bank.

The players have been kept on as they are also contracted to Rugby Australia, who have stepped in to put a small number of administrative staff and the Rebels’ coaching staff on short-term contracts until the end of the forthcoming Super Rugby Pacific season.

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Luke Jacobson is ready for the challenge of being Super Rugby favourites

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Luke Jacobson is ready for the challenge of being Super Rugby favourites

That means Kevin Foote and his coaching team will remain with the Rebels this year, which begins for his side with a visit from the Brumbies on Friday February 23. There is very little certainty as to what lies ahead for the team after this season though.

Super Rugby Pacific chairman Kevin Malloy has suggested that the Rebels’ current position may change their plans for a competition restructure in 2026.

“I wouldn’t call it a cloud. I think it’s just a reality that we have to deal with,” he said at the Super Rugby Pacific launch on Auckland Harbour on Wednesday.

“We feel really engaged and involved in understanding exactly what Rugby Australia are working through. And part of that conversation is obviously starting to think about the future, but I think we’ve signalled well in advance of this tournament that we’re doing that anyway.

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“Logically 2026 has been the time frame with media rights cycles and that sort of thing. So [that’s when] we would think about if there would be any material change in the competition… clearly what’s happened with the Rebels has just brought that conversation forward slightly.”

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said: “We’re working through that process. I think [the super round is] exciting. You’ve got six games in one of the greatest sporting markets in the world.

“And as we heard from Trevor (Waugh was referring to Rob Leota), the captain of the Rebels up there, it’s an exciting and a huge opportunity for the locals to come out and support rugby and see some of the best players in the world.”

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10 Comments
P
Pecos 282 days ago

Ditch them from 2025 & bring in an Argie or Japanese franchise. Or an American/Canadian combined one? Australia then has a deeper pool of players to strengthen the 4 home franchises.

J
Jon 282 days ago

I think this article is in error, and should say “Melbourne have seen their entire non-coaching staff made redundant, not the their non playing staff.

Obviously you don’t need those staff if youre not going to be around another year, so I think this news pretty much puts to bed any idea ARU will keep them around for another year?

S
Sumkunn Tsadmiova 282 days ago

“in the face of $20 million in debts and with only  $17,300 in the bank….”

Well it’s not all doom and gloom. All they need to do is find a horse running with odds of 1155/1 or better, put their remaining 17.3k on him to win and, bingo, debt covered!

On a more pragmatic front, perhaps trying to run a rugby franchise in Victoria, that hasn’t the slightest interest in, or clue about, rugby wasn’t the brightest commercial idea. Might as well try selling ice creams on the moon.

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Hellhound 20 minutes ago
France put World Cup pain behind them with unbeaten run in November

France is starting to look like they are finally over their WC headache, although they were lucky that NZ had a very bad game. The Argies as usual is one game good, the next bad. If they can sort that out and be more consistent, they could become contenders for the WC.


NZ, Argentina (if they are more consistent), and now the Wallabies too is in an upward curve (can they be consistent?), as well as Fiji(as inconsistent as Argentina) looks like possible contenders. The Boks will be as usual a huge threat to defend their title. Things are looking up for the South, so the North should rightfully beware of the Southern Hemisphere threat.


With the French looking dangerous, the English with their close runs (mostly a mindset problem) and the Scottish seems to be the NH main contenders. The Irish is good, but not excellent anymore. They are more overbearing and with their glory days mostly gone with old players hanging on by a thread, by 2027 if they don't start adding in the younger players, they won't make it past yet another WC Quarter final. The problem is that their youngsters, while good is nothing special.


That is just 8 teams without the Irish that can become real WC contenders. Lots of hickups to be sorted still for these teams, excluding the Boks to become a threat. Make no mistake, the top Tier is much closer than people realise and the 2027 WC will be a really great WC, possibly the best contended WC ever.

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