Brumbies lose chance to crack Super W final after Rugby Australia cancels play-offs

The Super W finals had already been postponed until late May, but Rugby Australia announced on Friday afternoon it had been forced to suspend the season as it could not be played in the near future.

It means the NSW Waratahs have been crowned champions for the third consecutive season after finishing the regular rounds undefeated.

The Brumbies finished third on the competition's ladder and were slated to meet the Queensland Reds in a semi-final clash at Ballymore.

Adam Butt's side lost both matches against the Waratahs and Reds during the regular season, but the Brumbies coach says they were looking forward of getting a hold of the league's powerhouses.

"It's obviously a disappointment we didn't get a crack at the final but somethings are bigger than rugby and you can't help these hurdles being thrown at you," Butt said.

"I thought we had an opportunity there in the semi-final, I thought we played well against Queensland the week before.

"We were there, thereabouts. We just had a bit of game management issues and needed to mentally focus for the 80 minutes.

"I think we could have knocked Queensland off, NSW are a great team, congratulations to them, but they're not unbeatable.

"It's disappointing not being able to have that crack but by the same token, we understand where it's coming from. Life is just too important."

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It comes as Rugby Australia confirmed all community rugby competitions would be postponed for a further two months, while the future of Super Rugby remains up in the air.

The trans-continental competition had completed almost a third of its season when it was postponed indefinitely last month.

The lack of game and television revenue has hit Australian rugby hard, with the governing body deciding to stand down 75 per cent of its workforce until June 30. The Brumbies have put majority of their staff on reduced hours to ease coronavirus pressure and help keep the club afloat.

Butt is concerned about how the coronavirus and economic crises will affect Super W's future, but says the code can use the shutdown as a chance to rest and reset.

"It's passed through my mind," Butt admitted.

"I haven't had a chance to talk to the Brumbies about it yet because they've got a lot of problems to work on now, forecasting for next year is a long way off.

"It's certainly crossed my mind with what is going to happen to grassroots rugby and I'm sure it's crossing the minds of fringe players with contracts, in terms of where they stand.

"Like every other code, we're going to see a lot of changes out of this and there will always be a silver lining - if you're a positive person you'll find it.

"It's a chance for the game to rest and re-prioritise. I don't think the women's game will die.

"There's too many registrations and young athletes coming through, the girls are really growing. So I can't see Super W going anywhere, but it's a strange world we live in."