Brumbies speak to Canberra Stadium about potential Super Rugby AU crowds

Brumbies staff met with Canberra Stadium bosses on Wednesday afternoon to discuss potential protocols and entry points if the Super Rugby relaunch is given the all clear by broadcasters to start.

The Brumbies are penciled in to open the season with a clash against the Melbourne Rebels on July 3 or 4.

The competition, which will involve the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Rebels and Western Force, is expected to run for 12 weeks, with a regular-season finish in mid September.

Brumbies games are at this stage expected to be played in Canberra, but the NRL denied the Canberra Raiders the right to play at home for at least the first two months of their restart.

It is hoped crowds of varying sizes will be able to attend at least some of the matches, but Brumbies boss Phil Thomson told an online forum on Wednesday night it was unclear if it would be possible.

"At this stage there's still a bit of water to go under the bridge in relation [to crowds]," Thomson said.

"We're focused on getting the games on. But as you can see with what's happening with rugby league and AFL in a week or two, we'll be watching those competitions to see what happens with spectators in venues.

"We did have a conversation with [Canberra Stadium] this afternoon around access for people into the stadium and it's still a little bit too early to give the all clear in relation to that.

"There are a number of things that need to be put in place and restrictions to be lifted to give any certainty around that. It's something we hope we can do with the competition going through to September, but I can't give any certainty."

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The Brumbies have started training in larger groups as they wait for the official start date and competition format. There is also potential for rule changes to be implemented to make Australian rugby more attractive to fans.

Thomson and deputy chief executive Craig Leseberg spoke to Canberra's rugby community via a live forum to give an update on the Brumbies and community competitions.

There is no return date set for junior or senior rugby competitions to start, with ACT rugby preferring to wait for government advice before setting a restart target.

Training for clubs restarted with this week, with Leseberg saying more than 100 players attended a Uni-Norths Owls session on Tuesday night.

They also spoke about potential reduction in participation fees if the competition format changes or game numbers are reduced.

"[A restart date] is the great unknown. Ultimately individuals and clubs can and will make decisions in relation to their involvement this season," Leseberg said.

"I'd stress there's no pressure from us to be involved if people aren't comfortable doing that. To provide a level of insight to that, we have 66 clubs across the region and at this stage only three have opted to sit out the year with a commitment to returning next year.

"That gives some indication to the groundswell of support. We'll have a much clearer picture in the next two weeks. Quite purposely, while we're modelling around potential competition resumption, we're not circulating draws or anything like that until we have a clear picture of team numbers and participant numbers."

Meanwhile, England coach Eddie Jones says rugby union has turned into a stop-start visual product similar to the NFL and is calling for at least two fundamental changes to speed up play.

Australian Jones pointed to the dramatic impact one rule tweak has made to the NRL, which returned to action last week and was a notably faster spectacle.

The "six-again" rule reduced the penalty count and transformed the nature of the game, Jones said.

"It's definitely become less of a wrestle in the NRL and a faster, more continuous game," the former Wallabies coach told Sky Sport in New Zealand.

"We need to make that adjustment in rugby. The game's gradually moved along a track and hasn't been looked at carefully enough.

"Now we've got this game that's almost like NFL."

Jones said the typical Test match now lasts longer than 100 minutes, with at least 65 minutes taken up without action.

The concept of tiredness has almost disappeared, he said, with more than half of any starting side being replaced late in games.

Jones said reducing the reserve bench from eight to six players would have an immediate effect.

"I reckon that'd make a hell of a difference. It would introduce some fatigue into the game," he said.

"With eight reserves, we've got such a power game now. I think it's gone too far down the power line and we need to get some more continuity back."

Re-set scrums chew up the game clock by minutes at a time and Jones said infringements should result in a quick tap or kick for touch but not a shot at goal.

How to handle scrums has also been addressed by former Wallabies captain Andrew Slack, who rounded up a group of thinkers in the Australian game to brainstorm beneficial law changes.

The group has approached Rugby Australia and it is hoped some of their ideas will be considered for the relaunched domestic Super Rugby season planned for July.

New Zealand's Super Rugby competition kicks of next week and referees have promised to be severe on ruck infringements, believing it is fundamental to a free-flowing game.

The Kiwis have also introduced an NRL-style golden point tiebreaker and the ability to replace red-carded players after 20 minutes, changes applauded by Highlanders coach Tony Brown.

"Rugby's moving so fast. It only makes sense that the rules move with it," he said.

"It's potentially been a little bit stuck for a while. Let's try a few different things that might pique the interest of some people who have never watched the game."

- With AAP