Extreme doubt now surrounds Victoria’s chances of hosting the 2027 World Cup final and other major rugby events after Rugby Australia shut down the Melbourne Rebels after 14 seasons, sparking a court battle with the consortium that planned to save the club.
The Rebels will play their last game next month after Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh told Rebels staff and players of the impending closure at a 10am meeting on Thursday at AAMI Park.
The club was shut down after RA chose not to support a rescue plan proposed by a consortium led by business heavyweight Leigh Clifford, a former chairman of Qantas and chief executive of Rio Tinto. Waugh told Clifford of the decision on Thursday morning.
The club has been in administration since January with debts owed to creditors exceeding $23 million, including an $11.5 million debt to the Tax Office.
The decision was met with criticism, and Clifford announced the consortium would launch legal action against the peak rugby body.
State Sports Minister Steve Dimopoulos questioned whether Victoria would continue to host rugby events.
“The Victorian government is extremely disappointed that Rugby Australia has decided not to support the Melbourne Rebels following the team’s 2024 season, after we made it clear that we expected them to commit to a team at the elite level of the sport in Victoria,” Dimopoulos said.
Fronting the media on Thursday, Waugh and RA chairman Daniel Herbert described it as a difficult day for fans, players and staff, but said they had given the consortium every opportunity to present a viable case.
Waugh and Herbert insisted the collapse of the Rebels would not impact rugby in Victoria.