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Super Rugby's Rebels to have review

After another year without finals rugby and two serious off-field incidents, the Melbourne Rebels have announced a review into their operations.

Melbourne Rebels

Amanaki Mafi (left) was one of several players to get into hot water at the Rebels off the field. (AAP)

The Melbourne Rebels will conduct a club review after two major off-field incidents soured their 2018 Super Rugby season.

At one stage looking in contention for a first finals appearance, the Rebels slipped out of the post-season race and then imploded off the field.

In Dunedin last month New Zealand police arrested and charged flanker Amanaki Mafi following allegations of a serious assault on his teammate Lopeti Timani.

The pair were fined $15,000 each by the club.

A week after that players Pone Fa'amausili and Hunter Paisami were suspended indefinitely for their involvement in a Melbourne fight that left a man in hospital.

Paisami was subsequently charged by police and will face court in September.

Led by Melbourne chairman Paul Docherty, the Rebels said the review will consider all aspects of the club's approach to welfare and integrity, and report it back to the board by mid-October.

"Violence has no place in our club, in our code or in our communities, and the recent behaviour by some of our players has been completely unacceptable. We have taken responsibility for that as a club and the buck stops here," Docherty said in a statement.

"The Melbourne Rebels are a proud, values-based club and we recognise that we have an important role to play as part of Melbourne's elite sporting community to uphold the highest standards of behaviour and advocate for initiatives that promote inclusion and combat violence, social inequity and injustice."


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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