Backers walk away from Melbourne

[Bullitt]

Melbourne's new Super 15 franchise has been left in disarray due to investors pulling out after failing to agree terms with the Australian Rugby Union over funding.

 

[Nickdnz]

Yeah, read this earlier. Big fail. I can't see the Melbourn "Rebel" being able to be taken seriously with so little financial backing.

 

[Boggle]

Oh my word, we predicted the epic fail, but they haven't even played a single game and they're already knee deep in ****.

:/

 

[Woldog]

Hopefully it dies, because it should have been Victorian Rebels or something, way to f*** up an Australian tradition of teams being the states, not a cities.

 

[MunsterMan]

Where does this leave Michael Cheika?

 

[feicarsinn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Dec 29 2009, 11:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Where does this leave Michael Cheika?[/b]

Well the Connacht job is free isn't it?

 

[MunsterMan]

:lol:

 

[ak47]

lmao - the code isnt fit for expansion down here, and they cant even get it right.
talk about failure from all angles

 

[QLD]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ak47 @ Dec 30 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

lmao - the code isnt fit for expansion down here, and they cant even get it right.
talk about failure from all angles[/b]

:lol: whats with your constant negativity towards Australian rugby now? Jumped on the league bandwagon

Sounds like something for the media to whip up in summer when there's nothing to talk about.

 

[Wally]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Dec 30 2009, 10:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ak47 @ Dec 30 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lmao - the code isnt fit for expansion down here, and they cant even get it right.
talk about failure from all angles[/b]

:lol: whats with your constant negativity towards Australian rugby now? Jumped on the league bandwagon

Sounds like something for the media to whip up in summer when there's nothing to talk about.

[/b][/quote]
Bingo.

 

[Bullitt]

ARU deny Melbourne dispute

The Australian Rugby Union has reacted angrily to reports the Melbourne Super 15 franchise is on the verge of collapse due to a feud over funding.

 

[feicarsinn]

I can't see this team getting on well when they start playing. There's been so much bickering and infighting that it smacks of the 01' and 05' Lions. Add that to the fact that they'll be hard pressed to assemble a decent squad and the future already looks bleak for Melbourne.

 

[Fushitsusha]

I can't believe people fall for these kinds of stories so easily...

It's quite clearly a media beat up with nothing else to report on in the off-season...

The story is obviously the result of ONE disenchanted backer who has gone to the media to air his grievances...

The ARU are still working on a deal with investors...

Stories like this serve nothing more than to help fuel those idiots who want to take an quick swipe at Australian rugby...

 

[ak47]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Dec 30 2009, 10:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ak47 @ Dec 30 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lmao - the code isnt fit for expansion down here, and they cant even get it right.
talk about failure from all angles[/b]

:lol: whats with your constant negativity towards Australian rugby now? Jumped on the league bandwagon

Sounds like something for the media to whip up in summer when there's nothing to talk about.

[/b][/quote]

:lol: :bravo: oh the irony we are all looking for something to talk about

 

[redunderthebed]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...5002381,00.html
Rebels secure Melbourne franchise

By Adrian Warren

January 05, 2010

The ownership saga surrounding the fifth Australian Super Rugby team has finally been resolved, with the Australian Rugby Union handing control of the franchise to the Melbourne Rebels consortium.

An agreement was announced on Tuesday between the ARU and the group headed by businessman Harold Mitchell.

Melbourne will join an expanded 15-team Super competition next year, when Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will all field five teams.

The Melbourne franchise will be based at the new 31,000-capacity rectangular stadium nearing completion in the city's sporting precinct.

Tuesday's announcement brought to an end several months of uncertainty about which interested parties would be involved in the Melbourne franchise, which will receive some loan funding from the ARU.

"Inevitably, these things take a while, but I wouldn't say it's been tortuous, I think it's been challenging,'' ARU chief executive John O'Neill told reporters on Tuesday.

"But the outcome we've reached with Harold and his team is a good one for rugby, a good one for the ARU and a good one for rugby in Melbourne.''

O'Neill said the ownership structure of the Melbourne franchise met the criteria set out by the ARU along with the funding arrangement and capital requirements.

O'Neill said the Victorian Rugby Union was not an equity partner in the Melbourne franchise, but described it as "a stakeholder''.

He said the ARU would have no more say in the running of the Melbourne team than it had in any of the existing Australian Super franchises.

Mitchell politely declined to disclose any details about pending major appointments including a coach and a chief executive.

"We are not too far away, of course we have been doing plenty of work, but I'm not about to announce it this morning,'' Mitchell told reporters.

The ARU announced on Monday that significant foreign-player concessions will be handed to Melbourne to give the franchise every chance of being competitive in their debut season.[/b]

As much as i hate victoria this is good for rugby in Australia.They have it made new stadium for regular season matches a 50k seater stadium next door for finals matches and the alike.