"I'm delighted for the players... and everyone involved with the Melbourne Rebels really. The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said on Monday that either the Rebels or the Perth-based Western Force would be culled from Super Rugby as it contracts to 15 teams from 2018. The Australian sides have refused to take the decision lying down, with the Force launching legal action against the ARU. Rebels players said they were anxious about their playing future while captain Nic Stirzaker termed the uncertainty as "frustrating". "Culling a team will benefit Australian rugby purely because the talent pool has clearly become too diluted," Burke wrote.

Source: The Star April 16, 2017 06:00 UTC