Rugby Australia is refusing to bow down to their New Zealand counterparts, adamant they won't have Kiwi bosses "dictating the terms" of Super Rugby's future.
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Officials from both sides of the Tasman are preparing to negotiate the future of the code in the coming months.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan is keen to retain an element of the Super Rugby AU competition before moving into the Trans-Tasman tournament.
That would follow the same route taken this year but changes could be made to the length of each competition. Domestic tournaments were played over 10 rounds plus finals, while the Trans-Tasman competition is five rounds plus a decider.
Another alternative is to roll all 12 clubs - including new additions Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika - into one longer season.
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"I think [New Zealand Rugby] want a longer competition against Australia, but we're just looking at rugby in this country and deciding what's good for us. We won't have them dictating the terms," McLennan said as Rugby Australia launched its 2027 World Cup bid this week.
"It's a matter for the RA board ultimately, but I really like a component of the Super Rugby AU competition.
"It level sets the teams, fans are becoming more familiar with players and their identities, and their own clubs in their region, and it rated really well.
"That then leading into Trans-Tasman makes a lot of sense to me."
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie says clashes with Kiwi rivals signals "a lift in intensity" for Australian clubs, aiding their cause when it comes to games against the All Blacks.
"I do like the Aussie sides playing each other, but I also think it's important for us and for New Zealand to play Trans-Tasman games," Rennie said.
"However that works out will be sorted in the next few months with both countries, but it's important we definitely have some interaction with them."
The first iteration of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman is in the midst of its second round. Australian teams went 0-5 in the opening week but the ACT Brumbies and Western Force went within a whisker of wins.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has made it clear he is not content with "romantic losses", adamant he wants the tide to turn against the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.
"I mean of course we'd like to win a few of the games but the Crusaders are regarded as the best provincial rugby club in the world," McLennan said.
"Here, you've got the Brumbies within two points and it was very close. Both the Reds and the Brumbies didn't field full-strength sides and they had to travel to New Zealand.
"We showed with the Reds-Brumbies final we can pull big crowds and create exciting games. It's a natural progression.
"It's excellent we can now see how we level up."
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