Wallabies coach Robbie Deans believes the introduction of a Melbourne-based Super rugby franchise will help lift Australian rugby out of its current slump.

A lack of recent on-field success for Australian teams at both Test and provincial level, coupled with a decline in the amount of attractive rugby being played, has seen rugby slip to a distant fourth behind Australian rules, rugby league and soccer in the battle of the football codes.

And while an extra team is sure to push the already stretched player resources to the limit, Deans, the most successful coach in Super rugby history having won five titles in nine seasons with the Crusaders, is adamant expansion is the answer.

"It can't help but help," Deans said.

"It's a fantastic outcome. The profile of the game will just escalate, you've got rugby across the calendar year, you've got not only rugby but local derbies so domestic rugby - those two points alone are enormous."

Deans, in Dublin with the Wallabies ahead of Monday's showdown with Six Nations champions Ireland, expects the injection of a fifth Super team to strengthen player depth and ultimately improve the national team.

"This will offer us (the Wallabies) value, no doubt about it," he said.

"There's more top-end rugby and the reality is that players tend to be as good as the competitions they've come out of."

"And we've now got a top-end competition that'll run from the start of the year to the finish - and you can't better that."

Melbourne born Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom agreed the new team - likely to be called the Melbourne Rebels - can only be good for the code in Australia.

"I think everyone's pretty happy, I think it's a big win for all parties. I think what John said about building depth in Australia it's very important to have another team. I can't see too many down points with having a team in Melbourne," Elsom said.

"I think it's very important to have the games going all year so that people can play more rugby and support their team harder which is probably one of the failings of the current comp."

Elsom, who will join the Brumbies on a two-year deal from next season, was less forthcoming when asked if he will be the Melbourne team's first marquee signing.

"I'm yet to join the Brumbies so I probably wouldn't speculate about that."

Meanwhile, Australian Rugby Union boss John O'Neill labelled Super rugby the best rugby competition in the world and said the expanded competition to be launched in 2011 is central to rugby's long term success in this country.

"Super rugby is our shop front, if you want to go head to head with the AFL and the NRL and the A-League you need a shop front, and the shop front will be 22 weeks of Super rugby followed by Tri Nations," O'Neill explained.

"It's the shot in the arm we need, I've been quite public about rugby in Australia and probably rugby in a number of places needing a wake-up call."

"And this competition structure will help and hopefully we get a style of rugby being played which is also conducive to getting our crowds back and getting our viewers back."