COMMENT: Last week in Sydney, South African side the Lions had a Business of Rugby Breakfast where, amongst other things, the future of Super Rugby was discussed.

SANZAAR’s CEO Andy Marinos was in attendance, as was Rugby Australia’s CEO Raelene Castle and Lions chairman and investor Altmann Allers on an expert seven-person, hour-long panel.

Together they painted a grim picture, with Super Rugby experiencing challenges across the board including falling crowds, TV audiences, the environmental effects of climate change, geographical and time zone obstacles and a rising player drain to the cashed-up northern hemisphere.

Meanwhile, across the ditch, All Black Jordie Barrett, wrapped in cotton wool, was warming up for the New Zealand golf pro-am.

Not that that’s an attack on the player, who told Sky Sports earlier in the week: “I’d love to be playing for the Hurricanes this weekend.”

But at a time when Super Rugby is struggling across the traditional SANZAAR unions of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, it was an almighty poor look.

The poster boys of the competition – headline acts who can bring people through gates and are recognised on TV’s – rubbed out.

They are taking the mickey out of a competition, which is only 16 rounds long – six rounds shorter than the English Premiership.

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Jordie Barrett said he wanted to play for the Hurricanes last weekend, but instead played golf. Source: Getty Images

Barrett’s brother, Beauden – two-time World Rugby Player of the Year – and undisputedly the biggest attacking weapon for the past four years, hasn’t yet played a match for the Blues.

At long last, the 28-year-old will next month take the first steps to his return when he runs out for his club side Taranaki.

Not that this is an uncommon occurrence either.

New Zealand Rugby has long been resting its finest players.

In yesteryear All Blacks and Crusaders legends Richie McCaw and Dan Carter would miss large chunks of the first-half of Super Rugby, before timing their runs to be in peak condition ahead of the finals and Test season.

In more recent times, New Zealand Rugby has put into effect a two-week prescribed rest period for anyone in All Blacks contention.

That means, not only do they not play on the weekend, they don’t participate in training either.

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Jordie Barrett lines up a shot at goals last month. But where’s the crowd? Source: Getty Images

Rugby Australia followed suit in 2019, looking for an edge as they approached the World Cup, with a haphazard rest policy that players and Super Rugby coaches struggled to get their heads around.

Some sides like the Brumbies managed the new policy better, others like the Waratahs disastrously.

Having already dished up the embarrassing Newcastle performance, where they were left with egg on their faces after resting stars Israel Folau and Bernard Foley against the Sunwolves, Daryl Gibson left himself having to rest a bunch of his best Wallaby talent for their final round of the regular season – a match that had they won, they remained a chance of qualifying for the finals.

They returned from Invercargill with a 49-12 hiding from the Highlanders.

Their season up in smoke.

This week the three-peat champion Crusaders have rested 22-year-old outside back Braydon Ennor.

Ennor played one Test in 2019, didn’t go to the World Cup and had the bye last weekend.

Hours later, the Chiefs announced their side to take on the Waratahs in Wollongong.

Missing was 24-year-old Damian McKenzie – one of the most electric men in Super Rugby and capped 23 times for the All Blacks.

McKenzie didn’t go to the World Cup either, with injury cutting his season short last season.

But off the back of a bye-round, could he also have played?

This, it should be remembered, comes during a time that the NRL hasn’t yet kicked off and on a weekend that no trials will take place either.

All season New Zealand’s best will be rubbed out of the game, as will some of South Africa’s best talent.

Last week, the Sharks rested World Cup-winner Makazole Mapimpi.

On this side of the ditch, the Reds have taken a cautious approach with Izack Rodda, resting him from their difficult assignment against the Crusaders.

Were it against an Australian opponent — where conference points are vital — it’s understood he would have likely played.

The losers in all of this are the public.

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While the three-time world champions have the depth to continue to excel at both provincial level and on the international stage, can Super Rugby afford its stars to be missing?

Former All Blacks John Kirwan and Wyatt Crockett told Sky TV recently the enforced absence of top players “disrespects” the competition.

Respected Japan and Highlanders assistant coach Tony Brown went as far as saying its cost some players their All Black careers.

“It’s always been the sort of Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Kieran Read plan, where they need to give those guys all a rest so to keep it all even they make it mandatory to rest every All Black,” Brown told Newstalk ZB’s Martin Devlin.

“I think in the past it’s actually cost a few players their All Black careers. If you look at the Highlanders, guys like Malakai Fekitoa, Waisake Naholo, Elliot Dixon, those sort of guys who actually didn’t get a lot of time for the All Blacks, those guys getting rested as well which didn’t allow them to prepare for Super Rugby. And then their Super Rugby form actually cost them their All Blacks spot.”

Last month newly appointed NZR boss Mark Robinson defended the policy, but said that it would be reviewed.

“Overall, we think it’s been a very effective policy and a lot of work has gone into it,” Robinson said in an interview with Radio Sport’s Jim Kayes.

“But like a lot of things we accept that in any organisation, you’re constantly reviewing and looking at things. And so we’re open to that for the future.”

Worldwide, Australians included, recognise that New Zealand rugby’s talent are the best in the world.

For the sake of Super Rugby’s future, it’s time to let them play.