Rebels sign England and British Lion lock Geoff Parling
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The Melbourne Rebels have signed former England international and British & Irish Lions lock Geoff Parling for the 2018 Super Rugby season.
The announcement comes just days after the 32-Test veteran lifted the 2017 Premiership Rugby Trophy, where he played a key role in Exeter’s thrilling 23-20 extra-time victory over the Wasps at Twickenham.
Parling’s signature is the first announced by an Australian Super Rugby club since the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) lifted the moratorium on player contracting.
“Geoff’s signing is a strategic recruitment for the club as we look to evolve our squad and program for 2018 and beyond,” Melbourne Rebels Chief Executive Officer Baden Stephenson said.
Parling has over 250 games of domestic experience with the Newcastle Falcons (2003-09), where he won the players’ player award in 2005-06, before he joined the Leicester Tigers (2009-15) and finally Exeter Chiefs (2015-17).
Parling, 199-centimetre and 117kilogram lock, made his international debut for England in 2012 before going on to make 29 appearances for the Red Rose and earned selection for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Parling will join the Melbourne Rebels in January 2018.
The Melbourne Rebels are on Super Rugby break during the Arvo Test Rugby series and will resume the 2017 season when they take on the Western Force, Friday 7th July at nib Stadium Perth.
