A $20 million package from the Victorian government to the ARU, securing Bledisloe Cup and British and Irish Lions Test matches in Melbourne over an eight-to-10-year period, guaranteed the future of the Rebels in the SANZAAR competition.

The protracted negotiations between the Victorian government and the ARU, where approximately one-quarter of the funding will pass to the Rebels, ensured the Melbourne team would always be chosen by the ARU, ahead of Perth's Western Force, as the Australian team to be retained in the SANZAAR competition.

The Melbourne Rebels are the chief beneficiaries of a deal between the ARU and VRU. Credit:AAP

No top international team comes to an Australian capital city without some investment from a state government, meaning the withdrawal of funding from the Victorian government would have entrenched rugby union forever as the fourth football code in the country.

The financial package was secured by Premier Daniel Andrews, Treasurer Tim Pallas and Sports Minister John Eren.