Wallabies winger to overlook once more as Melbourne Rebels’ money woes proceed

Wallabies winger Filipo Daugunu will miss a second recreation for the Melbourne Rebels on Friday after an unpaid $7000 debt owed to him by the membership led to him withdrawing from the group to play in opposition to the Queensland Reds final week.

Information of Daugunu’s absence comes because the Rebels proceed to pursue their calls for for funding from Rugby Australia, with the previous Tremendous Rugby membership board and the governing physique locked in conferences on Tuesday.

Daugunu, an elusive outdoors again with seven caps for Australia, cited “private causes” for pulling out of the Rebels’ facet for the round-four conflict at AAMI Park, which the Reds gained 53-26.

Knowledgeable sources, who spoke anonymously as a result of confidential nature of the matter, stated the withdrawal was associated to Daugunu being owed $7000 by the Rebels, incurred when he paid for his personal relocation prices from Brisbane to Melbourne over summer time.

After Daugunu submitted his bill to the membership in January, nevertheless, the Rebels had been positioned in voluntary administration, with money owed exceeding $21 million.

Rugby Australia subsequently recontracted Rebels gamers, coaches and a few employees to play the 2024 season, however Daugunu’s relocation prices had been deemed to fall beneath the Rebels’ liabilities, and the Fijian speedster is listed as one of many membership’s 47 collectors.

As late as Friday, Daugunu’s camp pressed Rugby Australia to pay him again the $7000, however RA declined, pointing to wish for the administration course of to play out.

Clause 9.7 of the skilled rugby CBA spells out Rugby Australia’s obligation, within the occasion of a Tremendous Rugby franchise dropping its proper to discipline a group, to “assume legal responsibility for funds of all quantities on account of gamers who’re contracted to the related rugby physique”, together with relocation allowances.

Daugunu returned to coaching for the Rebels on Tuesday however after lacking two coaching classes, coach Kevin Foote was unable to contemplate the 29-year-old for a return to motion on Friday night time in opposition to the unbeaten Hurricanes. The group fly out for Wellington on Wednesday.