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Melbourne Rebels

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"Melbourne Rebels" redirects here. For the Australian Rugby Championship team, see Melbourne Rebels (ARC).
Melbourne Rebels
UnionAustralian Rugby Union
Founded2010
LocationMelbourne, Australia
Ground(s)AAMI Park (Capacity: 31,500[1])
Coach(es)Rod Macqueen[2],
(Asst) Damian Hill [3]
Captain(s)TBA
League(s)Expanded Super 14(2011)
2011TBA
Team kit
Union website
www.themelbournerebels.com.au

The Melbourne Rebels are a planned professional rugby union team in Victoria, Australia. They will play in an expanded Super 15 rugby tournament starting in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby team in Australia. The club shares its name with a former Australian Rugby Championship team, but the clubs are distinct.

History

For a fuller history of rugby in Melbourne see Rugby union in Victoria

Evidence of rugby in Victoria dates back to the 1840s, with records showing early rugby games amongst the miners.[4] The first known rugby game under the codified rules developed by the inaugural Rugby Football Union in Victoria took place in late June 1878 between Sydney's Waratah rugby club and Melbourne's Carlton Football Club at the MCG. Waratah won [5].

The first instance of a provincial rugby side in Victoria was in 1888. The newly established Melbourne Rugby club convened trials to select a 15 to play the touring British. 6,000 people attended a 15-5 loss to the tourists [6] . In 1894 after the fledgling Victorian Rugby Union opened official dialoge to begin intercolonial matches against NSW. Victoria won the first game 3-0.[7]. The VRU union became defunct in the late 1890s but was re-established in 1908 to play a practice match against the Wallabies departing for an English tour.[7] The representative Victorian side wore blue and gold, and lost 26-6 in front of 1,500 people at the MCG.

In 2006 the Australian Rugby Union, following the suggestions of a working party, announced the formation of a national domestic competition [8]. The Melbourne Rebels were established for the inaugural season of the Australian Rugby Championship by virtue of NSW surrendering a fourth team in favour of Victoria. [9]Coached by Bill Millard and captained by David Croft, the Rebels finished fourth (out of 8) and were runners up. The move was viewed as an interim step to a super 14 franchise.

Currently representing 25 clubs in senior competition, the VRU bid twice for a team in SANZAR's 'Super' provincial competition before being accepted for the 2011 season. Their winning bid was named after the team they fielded in the ARC. While no colours or logo have been announced, the official website is adorned with the logo and team strip worn by the ARC team.

Previous bids

The era of professionalism in rugby led to a restructuring of the Super 10 competition after the 1995 World Cup. SANZAR was formed to manage a 12-team provincial union from Australian, New Zealand and South Africa. During the early years of 2000s South Africa and Australia pushed for additional teams each. Argentina also expressed interest. Discussions also included federated pacific island team in the vein of the the West Indies cricket team, or individual island nations.

Bids for the 13th and 14th franchise opened in 2002. Melbourne had, to that point, succesfully hosted several Wallaby test matches which the Victorian Rugby Union used to demonstrate a ground swell of support for rugby by the Victorian public. Melbourne also hosted several World Cup matches hosted at Docklands Stadium [10] and drew 50,000 to the final day of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games Rugby 7s [11]

Major test matches and attendance 1997-2003

Source: Australian Rugby Union [1]

Rugby World Cup 2003 Matches and attendance in Melbourne.
See also: 2003 Rugby World Cup

Rob Steiner, then VRU president considered the a Victorian bid an outside chance.

"We know the support that Melbourne business can provide and the indications we've had suggest that we're appropriately optimistic about all that... but for now we're focusing on the fact that there's a sniff out there and we've got to make sure we give it the best shot possible to make sure that Victoria is the anointed one when the opportunity presents." [12].

The then Bracks government promised investment in infrastructure, considering a 25,000 seat redevelopment of Olympic Park or $100m for a new stadium[13]. The successful bid went to Western Australia, ultimately becoming the Western Force for the 2004 Super 14 season.

The successful bid

With SANZAR announcing a restructure while renegotiating broadcast rights, an additional license was created [citation needed]. Ten bids were received; 7 from Australia, 2 from New Zealand ( Hawkes Bay and Taranaki) [14] and the Southern Kings from South Africa.[15] The Australian expressions of interest included 3 from Victoria, 1 from Western Sydney, 1 from the Gold Coast, the NSWCRU (backed by John Singleton) [16] and a 2nd Queensland team.

Three expressions of interest came out of Victoria for new Super license- the Vic Super 15 headed by Mark Ella and backed by Kevin Maloney along with three former VRU directors, a Belgravia Group bid led by Geoff Lord (on behalf of the Melbourne Victory) [17] and the Melbourne Rebels bid from the Victorian Rugby Union with backing from media magnate Harold Mitchell and KMPG [18].

On August 12, 2009, the Australian Rugby Union endorsed Victoria as Australia's sole candidate city for the new licence in the Australian conference in the expanded 2011 Super 15 competition. They attempted to broker a deal that would consolidate the three bids as a singular entity that they hoped would be "overwhelmingly successful". The Melbourne Rebels bid petitioned the ARU to submit only one of the three bids to SANZAR. [19]

The efforts to amalgamate these bids was fraught with politics.[20] Investment banker John Wylie brokered a tentative agreement between the Melbourne Rebels and the Vic Super 15 [21] that was announced at the 2009 Weary Dunlop Luncheon [22]

Given that SANZAR could not reach a unanimous decision the matter was sent to arbitration.The arbitrators felt that the Southern Kings' bid was more advanced with regard to business and financial planning and organization structure and governance. They also felt that the Southern Kings also had a stronger player base and rugby tradition. Revenue however, from the sale of broadcasting rights to Australasian broadcasters, would be reduced by US$15–20m over the course of a five year agreement should the 15th team be resident in South Africa.

On November 12, 2009, after an arbitration process between themselves and South Africa's Southern Kings, Victoria was awarded the 15th Super Rugby licence, as it was considered more financially viable to SANZAR.[23] The bid was provisionally offered to the Vicsuper 15 consortium [24] but an agreement could not be reached on the ownership model. They withdrew and the licence went to the Victorian Rugby Union's Melbourne Rebels.

Establishment

The 5th of January was the official announcement of the ownership licence being handed over to Harold Mitchell's consortium.[25] The next day the ARU announced restrictions to the signing of current wallabies and other Australian Super rugby team players.[26]

Speculation after the ownership of the franchise was handed over, for the CEO appointee was turning to a public NRL administrator.[27] This was confirmed on the 11th of January to be Melbourne Storm NRL chief executive Brian Waldron.[28] One day after, on the 12th of January, rugby coaching great, World cup winning wallabies coach and former Brumbies administrator Rod Macqueen was officially appointed Head coach and Director of coaching, with Three time Shute Shield Sydney University Coach Damien Hill named his assistent.[29][30] On January 28 it was announced that former Western Force CEO Greg Harris would assume the role of General Manager, Football Operations [31].

Ownership model

The Melbourne Rebels are the first privately owned professional rugby team in Australia. The club is run by a board chaired by majority owner, media and communications millionaire Harold Mitchell.[32] Other directors include Woolworths director Leon L'Hullier and Lindsey Cattermole.[33]

Name

The Rebels name was chosen for the Melbourne ARC team in consultation with the local rugby community [34] VRU officials decided on the Rebels name in reference to Victoria's first Wallaby, Sir Edward "Weary" Dunlop. Chris "Buddha" Handy at the launch, said that “like the great Weary Dunlop, Victorian rugby has a history of daring to be different, a touch of the larrikin, and always having a go. These qualities are what you want in a Rebel and characterize the way Victoria is successfully tackling this historic year”.[35]. The name was retained for the Super team.

Franchise area

See also:Melbourne and Victoria

The Rebels represent Victoria, Australia in the Super Rugby provincial tournament. Experts[who?] remain unconvinced that rugby union can truly grip the traditional Aussie Rules heartland and home of the reigning NRL premiers, the Melbourne Storm.[citation needed] Other journalists[who?] have pointed to the high attendances for international fixtures staged in Melbourne and the relatively few fixtures when compared to the other codes of football operating in Victoria, allowing the franchise to market the game for their new potential paying public.[citation needed]

The franchise area includes the 25 Victorian senior clubs of the Victorian Rugby Union, who view the Rebels as the final step for elite Victorian players to representative rugby [36]. The 2010 state trials experienced a huge increase in participation, attributed to the establishment of the Rebels. [37]

Suburban clubs Country division
Booroondara, Box Hill, Harlequins, Melbourne, Melbourne University, Moorabbin, Powerhouse, Southern Districts, Cerberus, Footscray, Northern, Eltham, Endeavour Hills, Maroondah, Monash University,Wyndham City. Ballarat, Border Army, Cobram, Warnambool, Geelong, Melton, Deniliquin (NSW)

These clubs in turn feed the Victorian state representative team, the Melbourne Axemen.

  • The Victorian Schools Rugby Union
1st Division 2nd Division
St Kevins, Melbourne Grammar, Scotch College, Xavier College, Trinity Grammar, Geelong Grammar, Haileybury College, Brighton Grammar Ivanhoe Grammar, Carey Grammar, Marcellin College, St Patrick's Ballarat, Mentone Grammar, Melbourne High School

Players

Victoria has a history of producing players who have played representative rugby for traditional rugby states. These include

  • Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop ,
  • Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds and Wallabies),
  • Rocky Elsom (NSW Waratahs and Wallabies),
  • Lloyd Johansson (Queensland Reds and Wallabies),
  • Tamaiti Horua (Western Force),
  • Tom McVerry (Queensland Reds),
  • Ole Avei (Queensland Reds),
  • John Ulugia (ACT Brumbies),
  • Christian Lealiifano (ACT Brumbies),
  • David Palavi (ex-ACT Brumbies),
  • Andrew Heath (Queensland Reds, Wallabies)
  • David Fitter (London Irish, ex-ACT Brumbies and Wallabies), and
  • Nick Stiles (ex-Queensland Redsand Wallabies).
  • Ewen McKenzie.

The Australian Rugby Union allowed the Rebels to 10 foreign players to compensate for a recruitment embargo to prevent any aggressive recruiting destabilising the seasons of the current four teams[38]. The embargo was to be lifted on June 1 however negotations between Waldron and the ARU, and the further protest from the Rugby Union Players Association saw the embargo moved forward, to end March 15 [39]. The case was put by the RUPA that the window for players to leverage European interests against offers from the Rebels would be lost with a June deadline.
Macqueen's coaching staff made it clear from the outset they were building a club and were targeting players they perceived would make a contribution to a long term club culture [40], with an emphasis on preparing players for 'life after rugby'. Both Stirling Mortlock [41] and former Wallaby Mark Gerrard [42] commented on the Rebel's commitment to developing "life after rugby" were factors they were considering.
Their first signing was London Wasps fly half Danny Cipriani [43] who is slated to play at Fullback [44] [45], a position he filled on a occasion for the his club. [46]. The move to play Cipriani at fullback has led rugby opinion writer Spiro Zavos to suggest a scrumhalf has already been recruited they can't announce until the recruitment announcement embargo is lifted on March 15. [47]

The club announced the signing of loose head prop Laurie Weeks at the VRU's annual Weary Dunlop lunch on Thursday 18th March. [48]

2011

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Laurie Weeks Prop Australia Australia
Adam Byrnes Lock Australia Australia [49]
Richard Kingi Scrum-half New Zealand New Zealand [50]
Lachie Mitchell Centre Australia Australia [51]
Danny Cipriani Fullback England England


Supporters

In April 2009, Neville Howard and Gavin Norman created an independent supporter group to grow awareness of the bid at a grassroots level. The group organized via popular social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter. They currently have 1,994 Facebook friends [52] and 210 twitter followers [53]

After the license was awarded to Australia and subsequently Melbourne, Victoria, the group has now become the Rebel Army.[citation needed]

Stadium

The Rebels will play their home games out of AAMI Park, scheduled to open in May 2010 [54]. The stadium had been conceived in the previously unsuccessful Victorian bids for a Super rugby team. [55] They will be co-tenants of the stadium with Melbourne Storm, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart.

References

  1. ^ "Melbourne Rectangular Stadium". austadiums.com. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  2. ^ "Melbourne Rebels sign world cup coach Rod Macqueen". The Australian Newspaper (Website).
  3. ^ "England star Phil Vickery on Melbourne Rebels hit lit". The Australian Newspaper (Website).
  4. ^ "Rugby in the Colony of Victoria". Colonial Rugby.
  5. ^ "Footy Almanac". Footy Alamanac.
  6. ^ "Rugby in the Colony of Victoria". Colonial Rugby.
  7. ^ a b http://www.vicrugby.com.au/
  8. ^ "Rugby workshop agrees to a new eight team national competition". Australian Rugby Union (Website).
  9. ^ "" New national rugby comp for 2007". Foxsports.
  10. ^ "Victoria aims to cash in on Super 12s after cup bonanza". New Zealand Rugby<www.nzrugby.co.nz.
  11. ^ "IRB Sevens World Series 2007/08 schedule announced". Hong Kong 7s <www.hksevens.com>.
  12. ^ "Victoria pushes for Super 12 inclusion". abc.net.au.
  13. ^ "Crunch time for Olympic Park". Austadiums <Austadiums.com.au>.
  14. ^ "Super 15 bids from Hawkes Bay, Taranaki". The Dominion Post.
  15. ^ "Super 15 bids: SA Rugby last to submit!". Sportsleader<www.sportsleader.co.za. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  16. ^ "Cockatoos join Super 15". Rugbyvaria <rugbyvaria.co.za>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  17. ^ "Victory boss adds his voice to calls for Melbourne super team". The Age <theage.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  18. ^ "Melbourne Rebels feel frozen out of the super rugby process". Herald Sun <heraldsun.com.au>.
  19. ^ "Melbourne Rebels build case for Super 15 spot". The Herald Sun <heraldsun.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  20. ^ "Vics mauled in ARU powerplay". The Australian<theaustralian.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last cited= ignored (help)
  21. ^ "ARU welcomes unity from Melbourne bid". The Age <theage.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  22. ^ "Rivals merge to revive super bid called the "VicRebels" with 3 directors from each bid forming a committee chaired by Mitchell". Sydney Morning Herald <smh.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  23. ^ "Kings lose out on Super 15". Sport 24<www.sport24.co.za>. News24. 2009-11-11. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
  24. ^ "ARU spurns Victorian in Super 15 deal". The Australian <www.theaustralian.com.au>.
  25. ^ "ARU resolve Melbourne Super 15 ownership". thesuper15.com.
  26. ^ "Rebels will be stopped from signing Wallabies". thesuper15.com.
  27. ^ "Rebels looking at NRL figure for top job". rugby-heaven.com.au.
  28. ^ "Waldren to enter the Super 15 cauldron". thesuper15.com.
  29. ^ "Macqueen confirmed as Rebels coach". thesuper15.com.
  30. ^ "Rebels Name Macqueen as Coach". foxsports.com.au.
  31. ^ "Hill heads to Europe for Rebels recruits". The Sydney Morning Herald <www.smh.com.au>.
  32. ^ "Mitchell and mates are rebels bringing Super 15 here". The Age <www.theage.com.au>.
  33. ^ "Wealthy entrepreneur Harold Mitchell emerges as owner of new Melbourne Rugby team". Smart Company <www.smartcompany.com.au>.
  34. ^ "Rebels show true colours". The Herald Sun <www.heraldsun.com.au>.
  35. ^ "Melbourne Rebels on the rugby march". rugby.com.au. 2007-03-29. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  36. ^ "Rebels give path way to the top". The Melton Express <www.meltonexpress.com.au>.
  37. ^ "Record attendance at state trials". Victorian Rugby Union. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  38. ^ "Melbourne rugby side barred from recruiting Wallabies". The Herald Sun <www.heraldsun.com.au>.
  39. ^ "ARU clears way for rebel signings". The Herald Sun <www.heraldsun.com.au>.
  40. ^ "Super coach Rod Macqueen to lead Rebels". The Melbourne Rebels <www.themelbournerebels.com.au>.
  41. ^ "Mortlock mulling Super15 move to Melbourne". Super14.com <www.super14.com>.
  42. ^ "Rebels chase welsh recruit". The Australian <www.theaustralian.com.au>.
  43. ^ "Danny Cipriani to leave Wasps and join Melbourne Rebels".
  44. ^ "Rebels chase welsh recruit". The Australian <www.theaustralian.com.au>.
  45. ^ "Rebels keen to get the most from Cipriani". ABC <www.abc.net.au>.
  46. ^ "Danny Cipriani". The London Wasps <www.wasps.co.uk>.
  47. ^ "The curious case of fullback Danny Cipriani". The Roar <www.theroar.com.au>.
  48. ^ "Melbourne Rebels sign Queensland Reds prop Laurie Weeks". Sydney Morning Herald <www.smh.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  49. ^ "Melbourne Rebels eye Queensland Reds pair Adam Byrnes and Laurie Weeks". Courier Mail <couriermail.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |date accessed= ignored (help)
  50. ^ "Kiwi-born Reds halfback Richard Kingi clinches a two-year Rebels deal". Courier Mail<Couriermail.com.au>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |date accessed= ignored (help)
  51. ^ "Melbourne Rebels sign Kingi for Super 15". Super XV <superxv.com>. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  52. ^ "Rebel Army". Facebook. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  53. ^ "Rebel Army". Twitter. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)
  54. ^ "Aussie and Kiwi rivalry on show for stadium opener". The Department of Premier and Cabinet.
  55. ^ "AAMI Park". Austadiums website. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |last accessed= ignored (help)

External links

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