The Australian Rugby Union has relaxed rules allowing a new Super rugby franchise in Melbourne to sign players for their inaugural season in 2011.
The Melbourne Rebels, who'll enter an expanded Super 15 next year, were unable to sign any Australian-based players before May 31, after the final of this year's Super 14 had been played.
But the ARU has decided to bring forward the date, and all five Australian franchises will be able to sign players from the earlier date.
The Rebels announced the young English first five Danny Cipriani as their first signing last week. They can recruit up to 10 foreign players, while the other Australian teams can have only two.
The Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan says the earlier date forces existing teams to make contract calls on their players just a handful of rounds into the current Super 14, and struggling teams are in danger of being stripped of their talent stripped midway through the season.
