Rugby Australia is set to let Super Rugby clubs take charge of managing player workloads this season less than a year after enforcing a Wallabies stand-down rule.
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Australia's four franchises were asked to rest players from Super Rugby duties this year for the greater good of the World Cup campaign.
It created friction at some levels and angst for fans, who felt robbed of an opportunity to see star players during the Super Rugby season.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika managed to get the ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Melbourne Rebels and Queensland Reds to agree to the plan.
But since his departure last month, it's understood there has been no communication about plans to continue the resting policy in 2020 and beyond.
Rugby Australia has appointed a three-person panel to work with director of rugby Scott Johnson to deliver a warts and all review of the Wallabies' year.
There is no timeframe for when Cheika's replacement will be announced, and an earlier-than-usual start to Super Rugby will give minimal time to reach a collaboration agreement.
The resting policy issue first created drama last year when Cheika asked the Brumbies to stand down three of their key players - Scott Sio, Allan Alaalatoa and David Pocock - from a regular season game.
MORE RUGBY
The Brumbies were the only club asked to rest players before a mid-year series against Ireland, prompting coach Dan McKellar to "take a stand" for fans in Canberra by refusing to agree.
New Zealand are expected to continue their resting policy, which says All Blacks players of interest must be stood down for a certain number of games during the season.
All Australian clubs followed Cheika's order with an eye on World Cup this year, agreeing to rest stars for one or two regular-season games.
The Brumbies, Rebels and Reds rotated their players during the season, while the NSW Waratahs narrowly avoided a selection drama late in the season after leaving their allocated until the last round.
McKellar does not expect Rugby Australia to request a similar arrangement with less than three months to kick-off in the season-opener.
"In a World Cup year it's something you can consider with specific individuals," McKellar said.
"I think we managed it really well this year at the Brumbies. It was planned and discussed well in advanced.
"That was a good thing. But do I think we need to rest players in Super Rugby? No, I don't.
"We're not playing 40 games per season like they do in the UK and Europe. I just think in individual cases you might rest players here and there, but do you do that anyway. It's something you can consider, especially with older players.
"But does it need to be a blanket rule? I don't think so."
Wallabies players will have less than four weeks to prepare for the 2020 Super Rugby campaign, meaning it's likely coaches will limit their game-time exposure in the heat of the earliest start in the competition's history.
Wallabies won't return to their clubs until the start of January, leaving minimal time before round one at the end of the same month.
The Brumbies will start pre-season training on Monday, with McKellar calling in new blood to replace departed stars Christian Lealiifano, David Pocock, Sam Carter, Henry Speight, Rory Arnold and Josh Mann-Rea.
The team will have a new captain, goal-kicker and flyhalf for the 2020 campaign, which starts with a clash against the Queensland Reds on January 31.
BRUMBIES 2020 DRAW
January 31: ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
February 7: ACT Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
February 15: ACT Brumbies v Otago Highlanders at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
February 22: Waikato Chiefs v ACT Brumbies at Hamilton, 5.05pm.
March 8: Japan Sunwolves v ACT Brumbies at Osaka, 3.15pm.
March 15: ACT Brumbies v NSW Waratahs at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.
March 21: Auckland Blues v ACT Brumbies at Eden Park, 5.35pm.
March 27: Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies at Brisbane, 7.15pm.
April 4: ACT Brumbies v Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
April 12: ACT Brumbies v Argentina Jaguares at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.
April 25: Durban Sharks v ACT Brumbies at Durban, 10.05pm.
May 3: Pretoria Bulls v ACT Brumbies at Pretoria, 1.45am.
May 9: ACT Brumbies v Cape Town Stormers at TBC, 7.15pm.
May 15: Melbourne Rebels v ACT Brumbies at Melbourne, 7.15pm.
May 23: NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies at Parramatta, 7.15pm.
May 29: ACT Brumbies v Japan Sunwolves at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
June 6: Week one finals
June 13: Week two finals
June 20: Grand final
Chris Dutton
Chris Dutton has been a sport journalist since 2008, covering rugby union, rugby league, basketball, cricket and soccer. He has covered World Cups and Olympic Games in print and online. Chris has had a stint as news director, but is back in sport to follow the ups and downs. Email: chris.dutton@canberratimes.com.au
Chris Dutton has been a sport journalist since 2008, covering rugby union, rugby league, basketball, cricket and soccer. He has covered World Cups and Olympic Games in print and online. Chris has had a stint as news director, but is back in sport to follow the ups and downs. Email: chris.dutton@canberratimes.com.au
