After the 2016 season, it’s fairly clear that Australia does not have the depth to support five competitive Super Rugby teams and the first thing the ARU needs to do is admit that.

For the sake of Australian rugby, the ARU must drop at least one, if not two teams in the years to come or our struggles off the field will become just as bad as our struggles on it.

This will create a more competitive, engaging and simplified Super Rugby competition that should bring the fans back.

Sure, the ARU won’t have as many matches to sell to broadcasters, but that could be replaced by more meaningful content because sometimes, less can be more.

To highlight the need for this, we’ve put together three hypothetical Australian Super Rugby sides to show just how competitive we could be.

There are plenty of arguments for why certain franchises should be retained or dropped but for the sake of this argument, we’ve flicked our two newest teams, the Melbourne Rebels and the Western Force.

Here’s how the other sides might look:

ACT Brumbies

Hypothetical recruits: Adam Coleman (Force), Ben McCalman (Force), Nic Stirzaker (Rebels), Jack Debreczeni (Rebels) or Jono Lance (Force), Dave Haylett-Petty (Force).

Starting XV:

Alan Alaalatoa, Saia Fainga’a, Scott Sio, Adam Coleman, Sam Carter, Scott Fardy, David Pocock, Ben McCalman, Nic Stirzaker, Jack Debreczeni/Jono Lance, Robbie Coleman, Kyle Godwin, Tevita Kurindrani, Henry Speight, Dane Haylett-Petty.

QLD Reds

Hypothetical recruits: Sean McMahon (Rebels), Toby Smith (Rebels), Billy Meakes (Force), Tom English (Force).

James Slipper, Stephen Moore, Toby Smith, Kane Douglas, Rob Simmons, Sean McMahon, George Smith, Leroy Houston, Nick Frisby, Quade Cooper, Chris Kuridrani, Billy Meakes, Samu Kerevi, Tom English, Karmichael Hunt. 

NSW Waratahs (1-15)

Hypothetical recruits: Lopeti Timani (Rebels), Reece Hodge (Rebels), Luke Morahan (Force).

Starting XV:

Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, Lopeti Timani, Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper, Jed Holloway, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Rob Horne, Reece Hodge, Israel Folau, Luke Morahan, Andrew Kellaway.