Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh says fans who have brought tickets for the Lions vs Rebels match next year will have footy to watch, even if the Rebels no longer exist.
Tickets to all nine matches, including three Tests, went on sale on Monday, including for the MCG, which will host the second Wallabies clash on July 26.Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium hosts the opening Test and Allianz Stadium in Sydney the third in the historic tour series, first played in 1888.
The Melbourne Rebels are slated to face the Lions on July 22 at Marvel Stadium despite their future being in major doubt, with the club in voluntary administration with huge debts.
Waugh said a match would go ahead even if the Lions faced a different opponent.
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
“While we are working through the Rebels situation, there will be still be a fixture in Melbourne on that date,” Waugh told AAP.
“We’ve talked about a Pasifika game or potentially Australia A or the equivalent so there’s different options but at the moment the plan is to have a Rebels team.”
The Melbourne players and staff are sweating on a RA decision on their future in the Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Waugh admitted the process was taking longer than he would have liked.
“The sooner we can get to an outcome for 2025 and beyond the better for everyone so we’re working through that,” he said.
“Are we closer? Yes. Are we moving at the speed that we’d like to? Probably not so we need to accelerate that and not just for the fans and those engaged in the sport in Melbourne but for the players and the staff.”
Despite the Wallabies’ dire performance at last year’s World Cup and drop in the world rankings to a historic low of No.10, Waugh was confident of selling out the iconic Melbourne venue for the Test match after positive sales to last year’s Test there against the All Blacks.
Australia have enjoyed success in previous Lions Tests played in Melbourne, with both at the smaller Docklands stadium, now known as Marvel.
“It’s exciting to launch the public ticket sales – we’ve played two Lions Tests in Melbourne, in 2001 and 2013, and won both of those Tests,” Waugh said.
Andy Farrell, Head Coach of the British & Irish Lions poses during the British & Irish Lions Head Coach Announcement for the 2025 Tour to Australia at Howden on January 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
“They’ve been the second Tests in those series and in both instances turned the series so really looking forward to bringing the second Test to the MCG.”
The British and Irish Lions – made up of players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales – played behind closed doors on their last tour to South Africa due to COVID-19.
Waugh felt this would contribute to the high demand for tickets.
“We’re expecting 40,000 visitors from the UK to support the Lions for the tour so it’s really exciting,” he said.
“Their supporters missed 2021 in South Africa because of COVID and the supporter base in Australia for the Wallabies is massive, particularly for a Lions series.
Results in the Six Nations have seen Italy leap-frog Australia in the world rankings but Waugh was upbeat about Wallabies winning back disgruntled fans.
“We’re conscious we’ve got a lot of work to do and where we are right now in March in terms of our world ranking but it’s a long, long time in sport between now and the start of the British and Irish Lions,” he said.
“It’s a positive start to Super Rugby, and not just the performances of the Australian teams but the way the game’s been played as well … the players are stepping up.”
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
Mate RA dont even seem interested in saving professional rugby in this country never mind the rebels. Thats how it looks. If this board survives the AGM we are doomed. The worse part not one person that pays RA in club subs or SR club membership has any say in who that board will be and what direction rugby should take in Australia to get back on ist feet again. Its a complete shambles and completely disrespectful to the people that pay their hard earned money that pays RA wages.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
Here ! Here! Well said and this is what everyone is saying at the games on weekends.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
I reckon RUPA should tell all SR players to down tools until the RA board resigns. Our game is dying and they are doing nothing. Not good enough RA. The rugby community have had a gutful of failure and doing nothing to try and fix it.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
RA -What do they actually do? No one knows. These guys are worse than the last lot. Points for consistency though. Do nothing and tell the rugby community nothing. In fact nothing has changed with RA in 20 years. Time to close it down and start again.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
RA are behind in everything. The game continues to slide into oblivion in Aus. No structural reforms. Nothing on the table. Maybe its just a talkfest with lunch and cigars every Friday lunchtime. Who knows??
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
Thats funny I went to both those same tests, the great 2nd half comeback after Roff's intercept changed the game and the 2013 win. As a kid I caught Cockbains headgear he threw into the crowd in 2001 after the win.. great memories. hopefully down the track there will be a team again in Vic run by more competant ppl at state and national level.
Dualcode
Roar Rookie
Basically one last hurrah for the Rebels before eventually being liquidated, RA still pondering on Melbourne pretty much.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Reflecting on this "we need to accelerate" thing. Surely the message is "we need to talk" given that 3 silks believe the Rebels case is strong enough for the three to work pro bono for them?
Frank from Geebung
Roar Rookie
Not at all. But compared to the Brisbane Lions prelims and state of origin that always sell out, the Reds v BI LIONS are overs. Not for the working class families.
Wig1
Roar Rookie
There's no one at the helm, Waugh has no answers bar he's at the top and he don't know the fixes and he's a nsw Mafia cohort that doesn't care , nsw are a sore bunch over the rebels trying to stand up to the mob
piru
Roar Rookie
For a carton of Elsie I'll go full strength mate
Jazz
Roar Rookie
Ticketmaster make a fortune by taking out their cut....they don't give a #@$t!
Jazz
Roar Rookie
Excessive no matter fluffyness comes with it
Jazz
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately I cant afford it from now on. Missed out :(
Ballymore Brumby
Roar Pro
Brumbies are doing ok-ish financially. Don't believe the baseless regurgitated rubbish from the hacks at The Aus or Phil Kearns.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
I don't know, there's always posturing in these sorts of situations, I'm always skeptical of what ends up in the media.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
And yet the first allocation sold out in an hour. Somebody apparently wants to watch it.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
True, but genuine efforts usually leak out to the press plus all the outward signals from the Rebels are that they have a huge beef with RA. If the latter was genuinely trying to help them do you think for one second that they would be biting the hand that feeds them. No I don't know for certain what is being done but as this article indicates, they haven't been doing much to secure the Rebels future.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
You don't actually know any of that though. You don't know what RA are trying to do.
acjj
Roar Rookie
What else can he say? The club is in administration