New Zealand Rugby's given the strongest hint yet that a major change to the All Blacks' eligibility rules could be just around the corner.
In an exclusive interview from the latest episode of Paddy Gower Has Issues, NZR boss Mark Robinson admits All Blacks representing Super Rugby teams outside of New Zealand is "something we should be moving towards quickly".
Currently, all players contracted to NZR can only represent NZ Super Rugby teams.
"We're incredibly open to it, and we acknowledge it would create a greater degree of interest and is something that we should be moving towards quite quickly," Robinson told Paddy Gower Has Issues.
It could be Super Rugby's silver bullet. The concept to change the competition as we know it - New Zealand's leading players plying their trade across the Tasman or for the Pasifika sides. Could we perhaps see the likes of Ardie Savea - for example - playing for the Reds?
"The Hurricanes fans might not feel that great about it, but certainly," Robinson added.
"Fans around the rest of the competition would probably think, 'wow, that's really interesting'. So yes, we acknowledge that that could be really interesting both to the fan and the player."
Robinson expect this and other ideas like a salary cap and a draft system will be considered with the establishment of the Super Rugby Commission - a new entity charged with overseeing and developing the competition.
He also recognises speed is essential for a competition desperately seeking to inspire fans. But it seems there's one man who stakeholders on the NZ side of the Tasman believe is stalling progress - Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan.
"I've got no doubt there's some frustrated stakeholders around the game. I know that I'm hearing it directly, obviously, and I'm frustrated myself at times."
Robinson is adamant Super Rugby still needs Australian teams, despite fan attendance suggesting otherwise. According to the Blues' figures, three of the lowest crowd attendances this season have been for matches against Aussie teams, including last week's quarter-final.
However, Robinson concedes there's an argument to be made for reducing the amount of Australian teams in the competition.
"History would show they are a stronger union when they have less than that," he said."
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