32-575: Rugby Victoria , formerly the Victorian Rugby Union , is a member and founding union of Rugby Australia . Within the state of Victoria , it is the governing body for the sport of rugby union . Rugby Victoria manages competitions for males and females in several age groups and divisions, and involving clubs from metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Rugby union was founded in Melbourne in 1888. However competition lapsed and
64-505: A Hall of Fame honouring notable former players. Each year two or three of Australia's greats from all eras of the international game are selected by an eight-man committee to be inducted into the Wallaby Hall of Fame. Inductees are drawn from all Test teams starting with the first side in 1899. Consideration is given to a player's on-field career but induction is not based on statistical achievement alone. To be eligible for inclusion in
96-670: A New South Wales representative), to take a seat on the Board. The constitution of the Australian Rugby Football Union was ratified on 25 November 1949 at the inaugural council meeting of eleven delegates from the state unions of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia , Western Australia , Tasmania and Victoria . The ACT Rugby Union gained membership in 1972. The Northern Territory Rugby Union joined in 1978, initially as an associate union before later being granted membership and voting rights. In 1985
128-662: A national representative rugby team, including all tours. However, the various state unions agreed that the future of rugby in Australia would be better served by having a national administrative body and so the Australian Rugby Football Union was formed at a conference in Sydney in 1945, acting initially in an advisory capacity only. Additional impetus came in 1948 when the International Rugby Football Board invited Australia specifically (rather than
160-535: Is Qantas . Qantas has had official naming rights for the 'Qantas Wallabies'. In 2017, the Australian Rugby Union was re-branded Rugby Australia, coinciding with relocating to their new premises in Moore Park , Sydney . In July 2021, Rugby Australia announced plans are underway to construct an Australian Rugby Museum. It will feature items from Wallabies and Wallaroos history along with
192-674: Is a member of World Rugby . Rugby Australia has eight member unions, representing each state and the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory . It also manages national representative rugby union teams, including the Wallabies and the Wallaroos . Until the end of the 1940s, the New South Wales Rugby Union, as the senior rugby organisation in Australia, was responsible for administration of
224-401: Is contested by eight clubs with each club fielding three teams (1st Grade, Reserve Grade, and 3rd Grade). Other senior competitions offered are Metro 2nd Division with an A, B & C Grade, Colts (U20), Country, Women and Masters (over 35s). During this time, a number of clubs have dominated the 1st Grade results. Melbourne Rugby Club has the most number of Premierships with 20. Moorabbin holds
256-616: The Fair Work Commission against Rugby Australia and the Waratahs under section 772 of the Fair Work Act , which makes it unlawful to terminate employment on the basis of religion. The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) announced on 25 June 2019 that it was donating $ 100,000 to Folau and was setting up an donation site for his legal costs. The campaign raised over $ 2 million in two days before being paused by
288-846: The Melbourne Rebels in that competition. In November 2009, SANZAR announced that Australia had won the 15th Super rugby franchise licence, and the Australian Rugby Union awarded it to the Melbourne Rebels consortium led by media magnate Harold Mitchell . The VRU did not initially own or run the Melbourne Rebels. On 27 June 2013, the Rebels announced that foundation shareholders Harold Mitchell AC, Bob Dalziel, Lyndsey Cattermole, Alan Winney, Ralph D'Silva, Gary Gray, Paul Kirk, Leon L'Huillier, David Ogilvy and Michael Bartlett had transferred 100% of their shares to
320-663: The Melbourne Rugby Club and represented Victoria in the 1930s became Victoria's first, and so far only, Wallaby captain in 1933. In 1939, four Victorian players were selected in the Wallaby side to tour Europe: Andy Barr , Max Carpenter , Stan Bisset and George Pearson. However the tour was prematurely ended by Britain's declaration of war on Germany just two days after the team arrived at Plymouth on 2 September 1939, with all sport in Britain cancelled. In 1958,
352-659: The NRC Division 2 tournament from 2018 to 2019. From 2000 to 2008, the Melbourne Axemen played in the Australian Rugby Shield . In 2022 the team was renamed Victorian Axemen Rugby Australia Rugby Australia Ltd , previously named Australian Rugby Union Limited and Australian Rugby Football Union Limited , is an Australian company operating the premier rugby union competition in Australia and teams. It has its origins in 1949. It
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#1732791081860384-560: The Victorian Rugby Union compete for the trophy. Clubs must field teams in 3 grades, Dewar Shield Reserves ( Penwill Cup ) and Dewar Shield 3rd Grade ( Mawhinney Cup ), to be eligible to compete. A "Game of the week" is streamed on the Rugby Victoria Facebook Page. The Victorian Rugby Union senior competition was established in 1909 with five teams, namely East Melbourne, Melbourne, South Melbourne, St Kilda and University. The Melbourne Rugby Club of that time won
416-667: The ACL with Folau's consent. On 19 July 2019, the Fair Work Commission issued a certificate confirming all reasonable attempts to resolve the dispute between Folau and Rugby Australia had been unsuccessful. On 1 August 2019, Folau launched legal action in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia , against RA and NSW Rugby for unlawful termination on the basis of religion, breach of contract and restraint of trade. Folau sought an apology, compensation, penalties and
448-624: The Australian Rugby Football Union was incorporated as a company (ACN 002 898 544). In 1997, it was renamed Australian Rugby Union Limited, known as the ARU and again renamed, in 2017, as Rugby Australia Limited. A founding member, the New South Wales Rugby Union, lost two affiliated regional organisations in 2004 when they affiliated to the ACT Rugby Union which became the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union. Rugby Australia's major sponsor, since 2004,
480-717: The British side known then as the "English Footballers" but now recognised as the First British Lions team. The visitors won the match, 9-3. Melbourne's club competition ceased in 1890 but a new administrative body, the Victorian Rugby Union, was formed in 1893. The Victorians played their first inter-colonial rugby match in 1894, beating South Wales by 3-0 at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground. Competition lapsed again after
512-640: The Folau affair became apparent upon the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 when it was forced to lay off three quarters of its employees and seek agreements with players to reduce payments. The CEO, Raelene Castle was sacked and calls continued for a shake-up of the board and management. Rugby Australia’s financial challenges continued since COVID-19 and, in 2023, the organisation made failed attempts to sell 20% of its competitions, teams and business to private equity investors. On 24 November 2023, Rugby Australia confirmed
544-424: The New South Wales Rugby Union and Queensland Rugby Union exceed that mark at present, so the total number of members' votes is currently 14. There are also a number of affiliated groups that do not have voting rights. Under this revised governance system, a greater share of influence and control shifted from grass roots team and club representation through the state and territory unions to commercial team owners and
576-551: The Rugby Union Players' Association (RUPA). Members may exercise their voting rights at the annual general meeting. Under the current Constitution adopted in 2012, the eight existing state and territory Member Unions, RUPA and each of the current Super Rugby team licensees are entitled to vote with the exception of NSW Waratahs as it is now owned by Rugby Australia. Member Unions with more than 50,000 registered players in their region are granted an additional vote. Only
608-454: The Victorian Rugby Union. The two organizations combined operations as a result of the transfer with Ross Oakley concluding his tenure as CEO of the VRU once the transfer was made. Rebels CEO Rob Clarke took responsibility for both organizations. Jonathan Ling became the chairman of the Melbourne Rebels, replacing Harold Mitchell. Peter Leahy was appointed General Manager of Community Rugby to oversee
640-791: The Victorians were defeated 30-0 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) by the British Lions in 1899, but the Victorian Rugby Union was re-formed in 1908. Australia played Victoria at the MCG in August of that year, on their way to Great Britain for what became known as the First Wallabies Tour . Of the seven clubs comprising the new Union in 1909, Melbourne, East Melbourne, South Melbourne and University were
672-563: The Wallaby Hall of Fame, a player must have: Hall of Fame members: In 2017, Rugby Australia management declared itself in favour of same-sex marriage. In 2018, Rugby Australia became involved in a controversy with player and Christian preacher Israel Folau over his social media posts expressing his religious views seeking to save homosexuals from hell when he called on them to "repent of their sins and turn to God". On 17 May 2019, Rugby Australia terminated Folau's player contract. On 6 June 2019, Folau launched legal proceedings with
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#1732791081860704-442: The board. The board may elect one of the directors as the chair , with the position to be formally reconsidered at least every three years. Executive officers, including the chief executive, are appointed by the board of directors. List of chairpersons from 1996 onwards: List of chief executives from 1996 onwards:* National teams National sevens teams Other teams Former teams Rugby Australia promotes and selects
736-652: The first test match in Victoria was staged at Olympic Park Stadium , with Australia hosting the Maoris . The Victorian Rugby Union (VRU) bid unsuccessfully for the fourth Australian Super 14 licence, which eventually went to the Western Force prior to the 2006 season. However, New South Wales gave up a fourth franchise for the Australian Rugby Championship , allowing Victoria to field
768-635: The first to compete for the Dewar Shield , a trophy which is still awarded today to the premier first grade team. Competition ceased during the First World War and recommenced under a re-established VRU in 1926. The subsequent decade later became known as the Golden Years of Victorian Rugby and included the selection of the first Victorian-born player to represent Australia, Sir Edward "Weary" Dunlop , in 1932. Dave Cowper , who played for
800-658: The first year of the five-team competition for the new trophy the Dewar Shield (donated by the Scotch Whisky Distillery John Dewar and Sons). One hundred years later in 2009 the current Melbourne Rugby Club once again won the premiership defeating Box Hill in the Grand Final for the same Dewar Shield. The Current (2024) Premiers are Power House who defeated Footscray 31-12 in the Grand Final held at Box Hill The Premier competition
832-509: The operations of local competitions and all Victorian Community Rugby activities. Victoria has twenty-six rugby clubs as of 2022. Senior player numbers have grown from 1,400 in 1998 to well over 2,200 in 2012. Teams in the competition have grown from 4 in 1909 to 173 in 2013. The eight teams that compete for the Dewar Shield are: As of 2018, Rugby Victoria has seven teams in their senior women's competition. The Victoria Country Barbarians team competed in
864-509: The professional players association. Prior to 2012, the voting franchise made no allowance for Super Rugby teams or the Players' Association. There were simply fourteen votes split as follows: The board must have at least six independent directors, appointed to three-year terms by a two-thirds majority vote of members, in addition to the managing director (chief executive). Up to two further directors may be appointed by ordinary resolution of
896-523: The provincial history of the sport, dating back to the late 19th century. The organisation's governing structures were overhauled in December 2012, following a review authored by the former federal senator and Minister for Sport, Mark Arbib . Rugby Australia's members (shareholders) include state and territory Rugby unions, together with the owners of the Super Rugby bodies within Australia and
928-565: The record for consecutive Premierships, winning six in a row from 1981 to 1986. Other prominent clubs during this 100-year period include Melbourne University, Power House and Navy. Footscray and Endeavour Hills were promoted to the Premier division for the 2011 season. Victorian Rugby Union Premiership winners (list may not be complete) Kiwi-Hawthorn now play in the Premiership competition. Southern Districts now play in
960-456: The right to play rugby union again. In November 2019, Folau increased his compensation claim against Rugby Australia to $ 14 million, claiming that he could have been a Wallabies captain. Folau and Rugby Australia issued a joint statement and apology on 4 December 2019 that stated no harm had been intended by either party and announced that a confidential settlement had been reached. Rugby Australia's parlous financial position following
992-515: The successful conclusion of its capital raise process following the execution of an agreement with Pacific Equity Partners for a flexible and upsized $ 80m credit facility over a 5 year term. Rugby Australia announced its support for the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament . Dewar Shield The Dewar Shield is a rugby union competition in Melbourne . It is the premier amateur rugby competition in Victoria. A total of eight teams from
Rugby Victoria - Misplaced Pages Continue
1024-415: Was twice re-established during the first twenty years, and again after the first World War when the present governing body was founded in 1926, then known as the Victorian Rugby Union, or VRU. In December 2017, the VRU was re-branded as Rugby Victoria. The Melbourne Rugby Union was established in 1888 and the first two clubs were founded in that year. Later that season, a Victorian team was selected to play
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