Australian Super Rugby team Melbourne Rebels has sealed an expanded agreement for the University of Melbourne to continue as its official university partner across the next two seasons.
Under the terms of the deal, Melbourne University will also support the Rebel’s associated Melbourne Rising team, which will represent the state of Victoria in the inaugural National Rugby Championship this year.
The University of Melbourne logo will feature on the back of Melbourne Rising’s jersey, while the partnership will ensure the continuation of the University of Melbourne Young Achiever Award.
“The University of Melbourne has a long and proud history with rugby in Victoria, and has been associated with the Melbourne Rebels since day one,” Rebels general manager of community rugby Peter Leahy said.
“The extension of this partnership with the new Melbourne Rising team in the NRC provides a platform for deeper engagement in a wide range of areas, including high performance, education and leadership development.”
Melbourne Rising's first game in the NRC is against North Harbour Rays at AAMI Park on Sunday.