Southern hemisphere rugby officials have disregarded calls by their northern counterparts to outlaw decoy runners but want their co-operation in establishing a set international season.

Officials at the SANZAR meeting in Perth on Tuesday reached a unanimous agreement that reducing the international season in the southern hemisphere winter to six months was crucial for the well-being of the code's professional players.

Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill also said the northern summer was mild enough for the Six Nations tournament to be played there in conjunction with the southern hemisphere seasons.

"The greatest danger to our game at present is the issue of player burnout," he said.

"At the moment, we have a situation where the top players in world rugby are playing and training for nearly 12 months a year.

"That is simply not sustainable."

The motion received wholehearted support from South Africa whose leading players are winding up an 11-month season on a current tour of Europe after beginning Super 12s pre-season in January.

But agreement on the increasing use of decoy runners was not unanimous with former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains expressing his concern at the practice.

The Cats Super 12 coach first spoke out against the use of decoy runners after his side was beaten by the ACT in the series semi-final in Canberra, likening the game to American football.

His only ally at the SANZAR meeting was Irish International Rugby Board representative Steve Griffiths.

But O'Neill said decoy runners had been a clever innovation that made Super 12s and Tri-Nations Rugby the most attractive in the world.

"The obsession by some conservative elements in the northern hemisphere about decoy runners being against the laws of the game is rubbish," he said.

"Officials in the northern hemisphere have shown us tapes of decoy runners that, when they have been slowed down to the nth degree, a player is marginally obstructed. This is a nonsense.

"Coaches have been innovative and clever in finding ways to break offensive lines which has made the game a greater spectacle."

The conference on Wednesday is to discuss the establishment of a Super 12 side in Perth.

The SANZAR delegates inspected Subiaco Oval Tuesday and will also be shown plans for a new West Australian Government-backed purpose-built rugby and soccer stadium due to be completed next year.

The concept is supported by the Australians and South Africans, but has been resisted by New Zealand which may be forced to lose one of its five sides.

Calls for a review of tackling laws is also on the agenda and ACT Brumbies coach Eddie Jones will renew his calls for a clampdown on professional fouls.