SYDNEY – The Melbourne Rebels, one of two Australian Super Rugby clubs threatened with the axe, have announced the signing of former England lock Geoff Parling for next season.
The 33-year-old second row helped Exeter to their first English Premiership title in May and played 29 tests for his country up to the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, as well as three tests for the British and Irish Lions in 2013.
His signing is the first for the Rebels since a moratorium on signing new players, imposed as the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) pondered which of their five teams to cull from Super Rugby, was lifted last week.
The ARU has agreed to cut either the Rebels or the Western Force for next season as Super Rugby contracts from 18 to 15 teams. South Africa will lose two teams.
The signing of a high profile player in Parling is likely to be seen as a statement of intent by the Rebels, whose owner has said he will not sell the licence if it means the team will be shut down.
The Rebels this week also announced the appointment of a new chief executive and made it clear it was planning to be in business next year “after a difficult season which has been impacted by the instability caused by the ARU's decision to state it was reducing the number of Australian Super Rugby teams to four”.
Parling, whose grunt in the pack will be welcomed by a team that has managed just one win from 13 matches this season, said he was looking forward to the challenge.
“Hopefully I can add value to the Rebels, and help the team continue the great growth and profile of rugby in Victoria,” he said.
Our 2018 campaign is boosted today with the signing of England lock Geoff Parling. Welcome to the Rebels family! https://t.co/0Y4GapdyI0 pic.twitter.com/5z9MpIR782
— Melbourne Rebels (@MelbourneRebels) June 6, 2017