MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) The Melbourne Rebels have signed England lock Geoff Parling for the 2018 season despite uncertainty over the future of the club in a proposed downsizing of the southern hemisphere’s Super Rugby competition.
Parling, who played 29 tests for England and earned three caps for the British and Irish Lions during the series win in Australia in 2013, signed with the Rebels days after helping Exeter win the Premiership Rugby trophy in England with a 23-20 extra-time win over Wasps.
The signing is the first by an Australian Super Rugby franchise since a moratorium on player contracts was lifted.