Melbourne will be allowed to recruit up to 10 foreign players for their entry to the expanded Super 15 rugby competition in 2011.
The Australian Rugby Union has announced significant foreign-player concessions for Melbourne to give the franchise every chance of being competitive in their debut season.
The ARU Foreign Player Policy allows a Super Rugby province to contract up to two overseas players.
But the ARU board has eased the existing Foreign Player Policy for Melbourne only, granting them permission to sign up to 10 players to their 30-man roster.
The concession of eight additional foreign players will gradually be rolled back so that by 2015 Melbourne will have the same number of overseas players as the other four Australian teams.
