Sanzar officials have verbally agreed there will be no repeat of the player extractions that have blotted the rugby landscape this year, but cannot offer any guarantee.

A press briefing near the end of a two-day Sanzar conference which finished here today was full of platitudes and a desire to improve but it became clear that balancing the needs of Tri-Nations and Super 14 coaches against the "giant shadow" of the World Cup was a major challenge.

To improve their World Cup prospects, New Zealand withdrew leading All Blacks from the first half of this year's Super 14 while the top Springboks players are being rested for that country's last two Tri-Nations tests.

Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and Sanzar chief executive John O'Neill -- less aggressive today than he has been since returning to the ARU helm two weeks ago -- said there was unanimous agreement that World Cup year provided major challenges.

"The problems we've encountered in the Super 14 and test match level was a result of the giant shadow the World Cup brings with it," he said.

"We've agreed we won't let it happen again. We need to ensure that for the next World Cup in 2011 that the scheduling issues and requirement to field the best available teams will be addressed and adhered to."

Representatives of broadcasting giants News Ltd let their feelings be known in a "firm but polite" manner yesterday, O'Neill said.

When pressed, O'Neill could not say exactly how any stakeholder in the game could be assured that each of the three nations would stick to their end of the bargain.

He said there was "an undertaking to go away and work on it".

"I'm not sure Sanzar has the necessary powers of sanction," he said.

"We're not going to go around suing each other or making claims for compensation but I think we've all shared the pain in a sense."

South African Rugby Union managing director Jonathan Stones maintained it was the right decision to keep the leading Springboks at home but admitted his union's communication should have been better.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) deputy chief executive Steve Tew believed other issues -- all related to the implementation of a global season -- would help avoid the problems that have plagued rugby this year.

The NZRU had started a project researching player workloads and welfare and hoped the findings would prove invaluable at a International Rugby Board (IRB) meeting in November which will again discuss the merging of Northern and Southern Hemisphere seasons.

O'Neill said a global season would end the unsatisfactory June window which was increasingly dominated by mismatches as Europe's top nations chose to rest players at the end of long club campaigns.

"It devalues the currency. It's not acceptable for the Northern Hemisphere to send second string teams down here and expect us to just cop it," O'Neill said.

"We've worked very hard to ensure our best teams go north in their autumn window. There's an IRB regulation that covers that."

Another issue to be addressed at the November meeting is the growing exodus of leading Sanzar players to rich English and French clubs.

"I hope some of the club owners are there," O'Neill said.

"There's got to be greater regulation and control of their space versus our space.

"If you can get all your ducks in a line, we will still be an attractive place for players to play who earn good money and, importantly, aspire to play for their country."

Meanwhile, Stones said his country was committed to Sanzar but could not guarantee his country's involvement beyond 2010 as speculation continues to swirl over whether it will be lured into competitions with European teams, thereby reducing travel and time zone problems.

"I can't tell you that we wouldn't consider ... the concept of South Africa being involved in a north-south competition (but) it's not the focus for us."

O'Neill said South Africa remained a crucial cog in Sanzar, pointing out that the competitions were enhanced significantly by the money generated there.

Much of today was a brainstorming session, with officials from the three nations discussing the nature of competitions they will offer to broadcasters before the current five-year deal ends.

O'Neill said any idea was welcome, suggesting the nature of the competitions could change significantly under the next deal.

"We're deliberately being quite provocative. Why not? Why can't we use Sanzar and the properties we own to embrace a bit more of the world," he said.

"Nothing's in, nothing's out at the moment."

The session was facilitated by Irishman Morgan Buckley, who is conducting a feasibility study on Argentina engaging with Sanzar.