The Australian Rugby Union has appointed a heavy hitter from the financial sector as an adviser to help facilitate the Melbourne team it has put forward for the 15th Super competition spot.

On Friday, the ARU submitted an application for Melbourne to take the extra spot allocated for the 2011 competition expansion.

The ARU and Melbourne will be up against a South African Rugby Union bid representing the Southern Kings from the Eastern Cape.

A SANZAR executive committee meeting in Sydney on October 21 will determine the successful applicant.

ARU officials were adamant that in-fighting between the various parties initially linked to the Melbourne bid would not adversely impact the chances of Australia winning the 15th spot.

The one-time preferred syndicate, VicSuper15, withdrew their interest in the licence on Wednesday.

The ARU wants private equity in the proposed new team with several million dollars expected to be required to help set up and run the Victorian-based side.

They have appointed Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust chairman and highly respected investment banker John Wylie as an adviser, whose job will be to help facilitate an appropriate ownership and funding model for the proposed Melbourne franchise.

Wylie is managing director and head of corporate advisory Australia for Lazard, a leading financial advisory and asset management firm.

"We are delighted to have a key Melbourne identity, a corporate figure as widely regarded and influential as John, to assist with the over-arching ambition of bringing Super rugby to Melbourne," ARU managing director and CEO John O'Neill said in a statement on Friday.

Major SANZAR decisions normally have to be unanimous.

There is a chance that an independent arbitrator appointed by SANZAR may be required to make a decision if the three countries do not have unanimity.

The 15th team will take part in an Australian conference alongside the four other teams from that country, which would appear to give the ARU and Melbourne an advantage over the South African application.

However, South Africa is unlikely to give up the fight for the 15th spot easily as it is expected to come under government pressure to push the cause of the Eastern Cape, which is regarded as the country's centre for black rugby players.

"The application to have Melbourne admitted as the 15th Super rugby team in 2011 is now in the hands of SANZAR and it is a compelling case," O'Neill said.

O'Neill has reiterated the ARU had no intention of owning the proposed Melbourne team or supplying its coach and chief executive officer, after its officials David Nucifora and Matt Carroll were this week linked to those positions respectively.

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