Just last month Victoria looked a rugby wasteland with only a Test match against Six Nations also-rans Italy on the horizon.

But as the rains broke over the state, news came that Melbourne's hopes of securing a Super rugby licence had been revived, and it's a chance the Victorian Rugby Union will not forsake second time around, according to president Gary Gray.

ARU boss John O'Neill announced on Thursday the SANZAR board had committed in principle to expanding the existing Super 14 competition to a Super 15 by 2011.

And with a new competition configuration, the extra team would play in an Australian conference.

Pipped by Perth, which became the Western Force, in 2004, the VRU said there was really only one contender should a new Australian licence by granted.

This comes despite O'Neill last month listing possible Australian Super locations such as the Gold Coast and western Sydney and omitting Melbourne, an oversight the ARU is believed to have apologised for.

"We never felt we were off the radar, we always felt we were the pre-eminent opportunity in Australia," Gray said.

"It was always dependent on the re-configuration of the competition but we were always right up the front of the bus, I've never had any view different to that.

"I was assured by the chairman of the ARU and vice-chairman ... that (our omission) was an oversight."

Assisting a new bid is the near-completion of a 30,000-seat rectangular stadium, with the Victorian Government announcing it will give the VRU $500,000 to relocate there, along with its centre for excellence.

"The stadium is an enormous asset and we'll have rugby in there but the next step is putting an elite team there on a permanent basis," Gray said.

"It's in the best sporting precinct in the world, we've got a supportive government, we've got a supportive rugby community, we've got a sports mad city.

"It's appetising and it's a meal that must be eaten."

Gray said any Victorian bid would have the support of NRL club the Melbourne Storm, who will open the stadium with their first home game next season, and A-League champions Melbourne Victory.

"We've already had good meetings with Victory and the Storm and all of us see this as a positive," he said.

While Australia's rugby strongholds will host France, the Tri-Nations and international side the Barbarians, the Wallabies will play lowly Italy in the second of two Tests on June 20 at Etihad Stadium.

But the VRU don't see the Azzurri visit as a snub with the new stadium not yet available.

"We don't have any issue with Italy, we're looking forward to leveraging off the Italian community and making it a very successful event," Gray said.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP