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Uncertainty hangs over next week’s Super Rugby kick-off, as financial problems at Melbourne Rebels deepen, and fans, players and officials remain in the dark about the club’s future.
Tickets for the first game of what could the Rebels’ final season are not yet available, less than a week out from the match.
The Victorian Super Rugby franchise has been placed in administration following financial turmoil, and laid off 10 staff this week including its chief executive, Baden Stephenson.
Rugby Australia has pledged to meet costs to allow the club to compete in the competition this year, which starts next Friday. After the Chiefs play the Crusaders in New Zealand, the Rebels host the ACT Brumbies in Melbourne.
But Victorian fans eager to snap up tickets have been left confused, with no links to tickets on the Rebels’ website and AAMI Park’s website directing people to join a “waitlist” with Ticketek.
A RA spokesperson confirmed tickets were not yet available because there was no agreement in place to sell them.
“We are in the process of finalising a new agreement with the venue – until that is completed we cannot go on sale,” they said on Friday. “We’re hopeful that this will be done by tomorrow [Saturday] at the latest.”
Tickets for the Rebels’ second round match, as part of the Super Round to be held in Melbourne, are available from Ticketek.
That round is being administered independently by sports promoters TEG Sport under license from Super Rugby, with the support of the Victorian government.
RA’s chief executive, Phil Waugh, said the Rebels will also push ahead with a Super W team in the women’s competition due to start in March, but there was “a lot of work” to do.
“We need to accelerate the conversation on 2025 and beyond, because players need certainty, staff need certainty, high-performance staff need certainty,” he said.
“The sooner we can get to an outcome with all the different stakeholders on what the path forward looks like for 2025, the better it’s going to be for our people.”
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Rebels fans have expressed sadness and a sense of resignation about the likely death of their club.
The club posted a season launch video to its 104,000 followers on Facebook on Thursday, saying: “We don’t just come back, we run back.”
The post prompted mixed emotions from supporters, with one replying: “Foundation member, proud to be. Not sure what I will do if we lose this team.”
Another person said: “Put on a good season lads. If it’s going to be your last, go down swinging.”
A third added: “Win every game and hopefully the Victorian government will save you.”
– with AAP
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