Melbourne Rebels’ Super Rugby future in balance as state Sport Minister steps in
THE Sports Minister has demanded Rebels owners go public with an “ongoing commitment” to keep the club in Victoria as the ARU was told to withdraw its offer to buy the franchise.
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THE future of the Melbourne Rebels rests on a knife’s edge after owner Andrew Cox was urged to go public with an “ongoing commitment” to keep the club in Victoria as the Australian Rugby Union was told to withdraw its offer to buy the ailing franchise.
In a dramatic day when former Wallaby captain Rocky Elsom emerged as a possible saviour for Melbourne and Rebels players met to consider their options, assistant coach Morgan Turinui blasted the ARU and the players’ union.
News Corp believes Cox has been offered $6 million to sell to the ARU.
If the sale proceeds, the Rebels will fold as part of the competition’s rationalisation from 18 clubs to 15.
As Melbourne-born Elsom was linked to heading a consortium to buy out Cox’s Imperium Group’s stake and keep the club alive, senior Victorian Government officials took aim at Cox and the ARU.
Sports Minister John Eren has intervened, demanding Cox and businessman Peter Sidwell make a “public announcement of your ongoing commitment to keeping the Rebels in Victoria.”
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A letter obtained by the Herald Sun reveals the State Government is prepared to help secure the Rebels’ future on the proviso the club is not sold.
“Following the meeting between yourself and Peter Sidwell on Wednesday 9 May, I can confirm the government is giving consideration to a form of assistance to secure the future of rugby in Victoria,” Mr Eren wrote.
“While the Melbourne Rebels is a privately owned enterprise, the government regards you Andrew and Peter Sidwell as custodians of the game and requires you to act in best interests of the state of Victoria by retaining the team as a Super Rugby licensee.
“We require you to inform us you will not accept any financial offer by the ARU to purchase your licence while we evaluate the need for government support and the method of payment should financial assistance be deemed necessary.
“In order for this occur, a public announcement of your ongoing commitment to keeping the Rebels in Victoria must be made as soon as possible.
“I require an urgent response to this prior to any meetings with government progressing next week.”
That meeting is believed to be scheduled for Thursday, but neither Cox nor Sidwell have yet met the demand for a public announcement.
As Eren targets Cox, ARU boss Bill Pulver has been asked to withdraw an offer to buy out the Rebels.
A letter from Victorian Major Events said the ARU’s offer was “being done with a view to excluding the club from the Super Rugby competition in the future.”
“Such an offer undermines the very positive and good faith conversations that have previously occurred relating to activities referenced in the partnership agreement to grow the sport in Victoria and provide sport development opportunities in Victoria,” the letter said.
“The Melbourne Rebels are a core part of growing the game in Victoria as a pathway to professional representation, and driver of participation across all levels including local community clubs.
“Furthermore, any attempts to utilise the proceeds of the partnership agreement to fund the purchase of the Melbourne Rebels franchise license would be seen by Visit Victoria, the Victorian Government and the Victorian public as an abandonment of the good faith agreement.
“I respectfully request that in order to formalise the long form partnership agreement the ARU provide written confirmation that any offer to purchase the Melbourne Rebels franchise is retracted and that the future of the Melbourne Rebels franchise is actively supported by the ARU.”
Turinui lashed rugby’s two peak bodies, accusing the ARU and the players’ union of unnecessarily subjecting players to psychological upheaval over their handling of the saga.
Despite rumours suggesting Cox will sell, Turinui said he still believes Cox’s guarantee he won’t sell.
“Andrew Cox looked me in the eye, shook my hand and said the Rebels will be here for years to come,” Turinui said.
“The exhausting thing is these rumours continue to circulate and yes it is part of the media’s role to report on the rumours going around but the fear in our team at the moment is there is some truth to the rumours.
“But from what we have been told (by Cox) we are the most safe club because we have a private owner who will not sell to the ARU but the issue I have with our players is they read the media and they are being debilitated.
“We have mental health issues and worries with our players, we have been pretty focused on making their wellbeing paramount and this has just made that situation very hard for our players.
“We are so focused on the mental health issues facing young people, young sportsmen today then on the other hand we have the ARU putting them in a situation where they are under extreme stress - it’s not acceptable, it’s disgraceful.”
Originally published as Melbourne Rebels’ Super Rugby future in balance as state Sport Minister steps in
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