BRISBANE, Oct 21 AAP - Melbourne will have to wait to learn if
it will have a Super 15 rugby union franchise after governing body SANZAR decided to send the matter to arbitration.
The SANZAR executive committee met in Brisbane on Wednesday to consider the applications from Melbourne and South Africa's Southern Kings to be the 15th team in an expanded competition from 2011.
However, it said in a statement, it was clear that it could not reach the required unanimous decision with the Australian Rugby Union representatives supporting Melbourne and SA Rugby expressing support for the Southern Kings.
"As a result no vote was taken by the executive committee and it was agreed that the matter should proceed to arbitration in accordance with the SANZAR joint venture agreement," the SANZAR statement said.
"SANZAR will move quickly to set up an independent arbitration process which will result in a binding decision."[/b]
