On Friday night, RaboDirect, principal sponsor of the Rebels rugby team, donated $15,000 to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.  The donation was presented at the conclusion of the match by RaboDirect General Manager, Greg McAweeney, and was received by one of the RaboDirect Rebels standout players, Julian Huxley.

Before the game, RaboDirect pledged to donate $3,000 per try scored by either team during Friday night’s clash against the ACT Brumbies at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.  However, despite only three tries being scored in a nail biting competition upset that saw the Rebels clinching a 25-24 win in the final minute over the Brumbies, RaboDirect increased the pledge of $3,000 per try to a total donation of $15,000.

A minute’s silence was held at the start of the game once the players were on the pitch, to remember those who had lost their lives in the disaster.

Greg McAweeney, General Manager of RaboDirect, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to help the victims of the Christchurch earthquake in any way we can.  We hope this donation will help the many people suffering as a result of this horrific disaster.  We’d like to thank the players from both teams for their outstanding efforts on Friday night.  We asked for their support and they most certainly all rose to that challenge.  We’d also like to thank the fans who came out to the game to cheer on the players.”

The impressive game, which ended with the Rebels’ first win of the season, was watched by a crowd of almost 15,000 people.  However, according to Greg McAweeney, although the victory was very exciting the aim of Friday’s game was not just about winning.

“Friday’s game was very much about showing our support for those people in Christchurch who are suffering.  For that reason, the numbers on the scoreboard had a completely different meaning,” McAweeney said.

The donation by RaboDirect is additional to a donation by Rabobank, RaboDirect’s parent company, of $100,000 towards the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

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RaboDirect today announced it will donate $3,000 per try scored in the pre-season clash between the RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels and the Canterbury Crusaders at AAMI Park, on Saturday 5 February, to the Victorian and Queensland flood appeals. As principal partner of the Rebels, the online savings and investments bank is urging the team to out-do the Crusaders’ tally at its first home game, but has committed to honour each and every try scored, regardless of who the scoring team is.

Greg McAweeney, General Manager of RaboDirect said: “We wanted to show our support and commitment to the people of Victoria and Queensland who are suffering from the immense devastation of the recent floods. And we knew that the players themselves were keen to get involved and show their support the best way they know how – by playing a great game of Rugby. We’re asking the players give it everything they’ve got and a bit more this Saturday – and we are calling on the Crusaders to also rise to challenge.”

All eyes will be on the elite athletes in both teams. With names like Stirling Mortlock, Danny Cipriani, Lachlan Mitchell, and Cooper Vuna making up some of the big name players for the RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels, it is sure to be an exciting game with a substantial donation total at the final horn.

A running tally on the big screen throughout the game will keep players and fans up to date with the total donation count. In the event of a low or zero try-scoring match, Greg McAweeney said RaboDirect will stand by its commitment to donate to the flood appeal and will reveal the total at the end of the match.

“We hope this challenge will give the players an additional push to get them across the line as many times as they can. But our commitment first and foremost is to the people affected by the floods who are in need of financial assistance and we will provide that even if the game ends try-less. We want the players to get involved and are hoping this challenge will also inspire punters to dig deep and offer their monetary support,” Mr McAweeney said.

The total donation will be presented at the conclusion of the match to the Salvation Army, by Stirling Mortlock and Greg McAweeney.

“You know the adage ‘It doesn’t matter who wins or loses, it’s how you play the game that counts’? I think that has just been changed to ‘it’s how many tries you score that counts,” Mr McAweeney said.

The commitment by RaboDirect is additional to a donation by Rabobank, RaboDirect’s parent company, of $100,000 towards flood relief in affected rural areas.

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