The Victorian government on Friday "will announce a massive rugby union deal that will bring Test matches to Melbourne on an almost yearly basis, but which also targets grassroots rugby, in particular the Pacific Islander community," according to Wayne Smith of THE AUSTRALIAN. This was the deal that "helped swing the Australian Rugby Union to support the Melbourne Rebels, leaving the Western Force to wither on the vine after being cut loose from Super Rugby." The Victorian government is "keeping the dollar value of the deal a secret, deeming it to be commercial in confidence." The Western Australia government, which previously volunteered to fast-track a A$5M commitment to the ARU for the 2019 Bledisloe Cup Test in Perth in order to save the Force, "would surely have been highly interested in the Victorian figure." Initially, it was understood the Victorian government intended "steering" around A$20M ($15.3M) into rugby to secure the Rebels' safety, but this figure is understood to have been "dramatically downgraded." Some reports have indicated the figure is around A$14M ($10.7M). The "high point of the new deal" is the securing of six Melbourne Tests over the next eight years, starting with Ireland during the next June window. Victoria has also secured the 2020 Bledisloe Cup match and a Test against the British & Irish Lions when they tour Australia in '25. But it is at the grassroots level that the money is "most needed," and Victorian Sports Minister John Eren joined local MP Luke Donnellan at the Fountain Gate Secondary College to announce a A$500,000 ($383,100) upgrade of one of its rugby pitches (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/27).
