Super Rugby officials explore trans-Tasman model amid coronavirus pandemic

A competition involving Australia and New Zealand's Super Rugby sides - and perhaps the Japan Sunwolves - has emerged as a focal point for officials.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the competition into disarray but ACT Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson says there is still hope the competition will resume in its entirety this year.

There have long been calls for Australia and New Zealand to break away from the pack and form their own professional competition to revive interest in the 15-man code down under.

Rugby fans may soon get a taste of what that competition would look like.

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"We're probably focusing more on a domestic trans-Tasman competition, but at this stage, the Super Rugby competition is still being looked at in its entirety because it's such an unknown," Thomson said.

"That's where we are a little bit different to other sports looking at getting games going at the moment. Ours is a little bit more complicated.

"I think if you get towards October, that's getting too late. October is probably a crunch date. There is lots of modelling of competitions going on about when we might be able to start again if the government and health authorities make that possible.

"There's a lot of modelling going on with SANZAAR, Super Rugby clubs and Rugby Australia to see how that might work.

"The thing to take into account here with us is that our competition is an international competition and what that might look like. It depends on what the border situation is as we go through the next few months."

While rival code rugby league is targeting a return to action via the NRL on May 28, the 15-a-side game is unlikely to follow suit too quickly given the complexity of its structure.

Talks about resuming the Super Rugby competition in its entirety - which would mean bringing teams from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa and Argentina together - make for a different beast.

So too any discussions about the international calendar with travel restrictions threatening to scupper plans for Test matches following the Super Rugby season.

"You just wouldn't believe how much modelling is going on. It's not like you've got an 18-team or 16-team competition that is largely played domestically here," Thomson said.

"There's a lot of other things you have got to take into account. We've got Test match commitments with the southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere, and look at how you can get that content rolling again."

While the NRL is considering a 15-game season having only played two rounds, some Super Rugby teams have already played as many as seven matches.

The Brumbies have racked up five wins from six appearances and are keen for their performances to be recognised in any competition shake-up.

It gives administrators another headache to contend with as they look to build a new fixture.