The Brumbies have developed more Wallabies than any other franchise including current skipper Sam Carter [pictured]. Credit:Getty Images There has been ongoing speculation the Rebels should merge with the Brumbies and be based in Melbourne, despite the Canberra club's success on and off the field. The Rebels and Force have needed significant financial handouts from the ARU in recent years, with the ARU spending an unbudgeted $28 million to prop up Super Rugby clubs. None of that money was spent in Canberra. The Brumbies have asked the ARU for financial assistance just once in the club's 21-year history and repaid it in full.

Rebels owner Andrew Cox told The Australian he is still open to a Melbourne-Brumbies merger, but the ARU is not discussing that as an option. Thomson said it was disappointing to see the conversation resurfaced and said the Brumbies had no intention of leaving Canberra. "We're not looking at merging or contemplating a move to Melbourne, we are stable on our own two feet and in a far better position than a majority of Super Rugby teams," Thomson said. "When you look at on-field performance, sustainability and participation numbers, there's virtually no reason that you would even consider having us as part of this discussion. "We don't see any benefit in being part of it and the other piece around it is if we were to play four games in Canberra and four in Melbourne it would kill both clubs."

Thomson believes his assurances from the ARU will hold strong, despite the national body bracing for ugly legal battles with the Force and Rebels. "We're certainly not getting any indication that they'll go back on their word, they're working through a process to get to a final solution and I've had assurances from the ARU that we're not part of that process," Thomson said. An ARU spokesman reiterated that message on Monday, saying: "There has been no change to the ARU's position that the Brumbies are no longer part of any discussion with regards to the process of reducing to four Super Rugby teams for the 2018 season." Former Wallabies coach John Connolly said the ARU could not continue with its self-interested approach by safeguarding the Brumbies. "The position the ARU find themselves in at the moment, this is the only call that makes any sense - the Melbourne Brumbies," Connolly told The Australian.

But history, television broadcast numbers and player development give plenty of reasons why the Brumbies deserve to be a stand alone club. The Brumbies have won two Super Rugby titles, made the finals in the past four years and have developed more Wallabies than any Australian franchise. Much has been made of the Rebels and Force developing pathways, but the Brumbies have more local juniors in their squad than the Melbourne and Perth franchises. The Brumbies are second most watched Australian team on Fox Spots, only behind the NSW Waratahs, averaging 16,000 more viewers than the Rebels and the Force. The Brumbies also lead the overseas broadcast statistics. Thomson said it was frustrating the club was still being dragged into the drawn-out saga, adding there was enough work to be done in rugby without the distraction.

"Certainly all of the Australian sides are struggling but we're the best of them and have been the best since our inception in terms of profitability and on-field performance," Thomson said. "Between 35-37 per cent of our players go on to play Wallabies, while the Force and Rebels franchises produce less than 15 per cent. "There has been discussion that it takes time to build a franchise and it does take time, but we were pretty much successful on-field from our inception and have comparatively remained so. "I don't want to put the boot into any franchise but it would be remiss of me not to respond saying we're happy with how we're developing talent and how we've performed throughout our history. "Can we get better? Without a doubt and we need to get better, but the ARU have been clear that we're no longer part of this process, so the speculation is disappointing."