As the Wallabies took on the Azzurri in Brisbane, I was fortunate to be one of many Waratahs who went back and played in the Shute Shield for our clubs. It was a terrific reminder of the strength of the rugby community and another step in the revitalisation of Premier Rugby, which is thriving across the country.

The women's game is thriving, headlined by an impending University Women's Sevens Series and an upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup, and then there is the humbling story of Christian Leali'ifano's return to the game after 10 months out after beating leukaemia. Over the next two weeks, he will hopefully join the 47 debutants who've enjoyed their first taste of Super Rugby in 2017. Clearly, there are great stories and great people in Australian rugby. The game is not in crisis. Well, it isn't yet, but urgent action is needed to resolve the ongoing Super Rugby debacle, because no matter how much good news there is, it is all being overshadowed by the elephant in the room; a game on the brink of shrinking its future.

Going nowhere: Dean Mumm of the Waratahs leads players off the field after warming up. Credit:Getty Images

Seventy-eight days ago after the ARU's announcement to cut one team, the enormous mental toll on players, coaches, staff, families and fans in Perth and Melbourne continues to drag on. This is the result of a process that is now defined by the time it has taken and the harm it has caused, rather than the benefit it sought to offer the game in Australia.

We know that the ARU would like to have made a decision by now, but we can't escape the fact that it still remains undecided. Walking away from last Tuesday's ARU general meeting, we couldn't help think that despite the opportunity for discussion, there is still no clear timeframe for when, or obvious legal basis for how, this saga might be resolved. For all players, it is bewildering there was not a greater anticipation of the legal or financial constraints before any decision was made.