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Rebels slam ARU, plan legal action over Super Rugby cull

AAMI Park, home fo the Melbourne Rebels

Melbourne Rebels have angrily hit back at suggestions that they could be cut from Super Rugby and threatened to sue the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) over their handling of the competition’s streamlining.

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Super Rugby’s 18-team format will be ditched next season, with two South African franchises and one from Australia to make way.

The ARU confirmed on Monday that the Rebels and Western Force were the only ones from five available teams being considered.

Western Force, owned by the ARU, are expected to be the side to go, with captain Matt Hodgson saying the Perth-based club will “live each day like it’s our last”.

But the Rebels are furious with the ARU’s handling of the matter, blasting comments made by ARU chairman Cameron Clyne in a stunning statement.

It read: “The Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union (MRRU) deny the right of the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) to ‘cut or chop’ the Melbourne Rebels from the Super Rugby Competition.

“MRRU expresses great disappointment in the manner in which the matter has been managed and immediately calls on the ARU to publicly state that MRRU cannot and is not being ‘cut or chopped’ from the Super Rugby Competition and advise the public that it had no right to say it could do this or to ‘request the Melbourne Rebels to make its case’.

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“Last Sunday evening, ARU chair Cameron Clyne advised MRRU chair Jonathan Ling that the ARU had decided to reduce the Australian representation from five to four teams and, further, that the Brumbies were ‘safe’ and that either the Rebels or the Force would be ‘cut’. This was contrary to advice that MRRU had previously received from ARU management.

“We unequivocally reject that the ARU has any ability to ‘chop’ or ‘cut’ (ARU words) the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby licence. Any representation by the ARU, including its chairman, to that effect is legally incorrect and in complete conflict with the constitution of the ARU. The ARU’s continued use of these terms and perpetuation of this myth continues to cause significant damage to MRRU and its players and staff.

“Patently through no fault of our own MRRU has suffered significant damage (financial, reputational, commercial and personal) by the ARU’s handling of this whole process and its unnecessary public statements and actions.

“Given these actions MRRU has notified the ARU of its intention to seek compensation and at this time has reserved all rights.”

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Nickers 16 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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