Australia is pushing for a longer break during next year’s Super Rugby tournament, with Wallabies coach Robbie Deans concerned about the preparation for the British and Irish Lions tour.

Deans insists anything less than a proper preparation for the three-match series next June and July would be negligent and a recipe for disaster.

Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill revealed on Friday there was a possibility the 2013 Super Rugby competition could initially resume without Australian teams following the break.

This year’s inaugural Super break occurred after 15 rounds to allow for three weekends of Test rugby in June.

With Australia squeezing in a Test against Scotland on a Tuesday night before the first weekend of the break, some players backed up a few days after a Super game and had just one or two runs with their national teammates before the match in Newcastle.

At the time, Deans was philosophical about the circumstances that led to the Wallabies’ 9-6 loss to Scotland, who hadn’t won in Australia in 30 years.

But on Friday, Deans stressed Australia could not afford a repetition next year.

“That would obviously be a recipe for disaster,” Deans told AAP.

“It (the Lions series) is an important moment in every rugby player’s life – once in every 12 years they get this opportunity.

“We need to do the right thing by the playing group and ensure that they get the preparation that’s required to win.

“Anything short of that is negligence.”

Deans said the Lions were in the box seat from a preparation perspective, as they could play up to seven matches before the first Test.

“They’ve got a great run – we’ve just got to ensure that we don’t compromise,” Deans said.

O’Neill said negotiations had already started with South African and New Zealand officials over next year’s Super break and he was very confident of achieving a compromise.

“The window here in Australia needs to be wider than it necessarily will be for South Africa and New Zealand, because we have the Lions arriving early June and they are here till early July,” O’Neill told AAP.

“We need not a three-week window – we need a five-week window.

“It means South Africa and New Zealand could well resume Super Rugby without us and play their derbies.”

The Lions play nine matches in Australia between June 5 and July 6 next year, with all five Super franchises playing the tourists.

As a player, Deans didn’t represent New Zealand against the Lions but he was instrumental in Canterbury’s 22-18 win over the tourists in Christchurch 29 years ago, scoring 18 points.

“I don’t want to talk about that – the team got 22 (points),” said a typically-modest Deans.