Updated

Rebels chairman Paul Docherty steps down as administrators called in

Zoe Samios, Gus McCubbing and Jessica Sier

Updated Jan 30, 2024 – 3.45pm, first published at 9.28am

Subscribe to gift this article

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.

Already a subscriber?

The chairman of the Melbourne Rebels, Paul Docherty, has stepped down from the embattled Super Rugby club, with Rugby Australia forced to step in and take over the running of the franchise after it fell into administration.

Rugby Australia confirmed on Tuesday that the rugby union club had entered voluntary administration, one month after The Australian Financial Review revealed it was struggling to pay its tax bills and stadium fees. PwC has been appointed administrator, while Rugby Australia is taking advice from Deloitte.

Zoe Samios covers wagering and the business of sport from the AFR's Sydney newsroom. She was previously the media and telecommunications reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and covered media at The Australian.

Gus McCubbing is a journalist at the Australian Financial Review in Melbourne.

Jessica Sier is the North Asia Correspondent for The Australian Financial Review. She is based in Tokyo, Japan. Jessica has previously written on technology, global capital markets and economics.