# Melbourne Rebels Women

The Melbourne Rebels Women were an Australian rugby union team that competed in the annual Super Rugby Women's competition. The team was formed after Rugby Australia announced that a 15-a-side women's rugby competition would be launched in 2018.
In their seven seasons in the competition, the Rebels won only one match and finished with a 1–22 win-loss record, as well as one draw. In October 2024, Rugby Australia announced that Melbourne Rebels Women would not compete in the 2025 season and beyond, finding that there was no financially viable option available to sustain the team.

## History

The Rebels Women ended the inaugural Super W season without a single win after a 57–0 loss to the NSW Waratahs in the final round; they were also held scoreless in two matches. The 2019 season also ended without a single win for the Rebels as they finished at the bottom of the table. They registered their first Super W win in the 2020 season after beating the Rugby WA team in round four of the regular season.
In 2021, the Rebels did not win any matches during the regular season and were edged by the Brumbies in the playoffs. The 2022 season saw their final round match with the Western Force cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

### Financial woes in 2024

The Melbourne Rebels were placed in voluntary administration in January 2024 with over $20 million in debt and reportedly had just $17,300 in the bank. Ten administrative staff and CEO, Baden Stephenson, were made redundant and coaches were given four-month contracts. Rugby Australia's CEO, Phil Waugh, confirmed that the women's contracts would be honoured in the same manner as the Rebels’ male players but was not able to place a time line on any decision about the club's existence beyond 2024.
Ashley Marsters was named as the Rebels Women's captain for the 2024 Super Rugby Women's season.
On 2 October 2024, Rugby Australia confirmed that the Melbourne Rebels will not compete in the Super Rugby Women's competition in 2025, with Rugby Australia stating that an investigation into the viability of maintaining the Rebels women's program did not identify a financially viable option for either Rugby Australia or Rugby Victoria to sustain the program in 2025.

## Current squad

On 20 February, the squad for the 2024 Super Rugby Women's season was announced.
Rebels Super W squad :
| Props Laiema Bosenavulagi Ana Mamea Hayley Glass Jiowana Sauto Paula Ioane Hookers Jayme Nuku Ashley Marsters (c) Mary Tua'ana Locks Easter Savelio Tiarah Minns Fapiola Uoifaleahi | Loose Forwards Laetitia Bobo Mel Kawa (vc) Sui Pauaraisa Hollie Twidale Sydney Niupulusu Grace Hamilton Scrum-halves Lucy Brown Fly-halves Cassie Siataga Sarah Hogan | Centres Crystal Mayes Harmony Vatau Grace Freeman Georgia Fowler Wingers Tasmin Barber Halley Derera Tyra Boysen-Auimatagi Mia-Rae Clifford Fullbacks Chanelle Kohika-Skipper Teuila Pritchard Millicent Scutt |
| (cc) Denotes team co-captains, Bold denotes internationally capped, $^{SP}$ denotes a shadow player and $^{ST}$ indicated short-term cover. |||

## Season standings

Super W
    Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts  Play-offs 2024 5th 5 1 0 4 85 136 −51 0 4  Did not compete 2023 6th 5 0 0 5 40 154 –114 0 1  Did not compete 2022 5th 4 0 1 3 37 205 –168 0 2  Lost 5th place match to Brumbies 2021 3rd, Pool B 3 0 0 3 25 57 −32 1 1  Lost 5th place match to Brumbies 2020 4th 4 1 0 3 59 188 −129 2 6  Did not compete 2019 5th 4 0 0 4 22 285 −263 0 0  Did not compete 2018 5th 4 0 0 4 21 239 −218 0 0  Did not compete

## Coaches

Melbourne Rebels Women coaches by date, matches and win percentage* :
| Coach | Term | P | W | D | L | Win % |
| Alana Thomas | 2018–2022 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 5.26% |
| Jason Rogers | 2023–2024 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.00% |
| Totals (2018–2024) | Totals (2018–2024) | 24 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 4.16% |
| Updated to: 6 March 2024 |||||||
Notes: