Super Rugby might have to kick off a month later and play through the June international window without marquee Test stars for the code to solve major burnout issues.

New Zealand’s players and All Blacks coach Steve Hansen have shone a spotlight on the 10-month length of the season – in which some can play up to 34 matches – ahead of a major players’ union conference on the Gold Coast next month.

Kiwi players are pushing to extend their off-season from eight to 16 weeks, which would delay Super Rugby’s kick-off from mid-February.

The New Zealand Players’ Association says strike action could be taken as a last resort to press claims for an integrated international season due to a rise in injuries and some players opting out of the grind to play overseas.

Australia’s Rugby Union Players’ Association boss Greg Harris on Monday said there was no easy “black and white” solution to a difficult situation.

But Harris admitted the simplest could be for the money-spinning in-bound June Tests go ahead, running concurrently with Super Rugby.

That would force Australia’s five franchises to dig deep to the third tier to replace their Test stars.

It would be less of an issue for New Zealand and South African teams who have a deeper player pool as well as more talent through stronger domestic competitions.

“The simple thing might be (for Super Rugby) to play through that June window,” he told AAP.

“There’s no other code which has the number of representative games that the Wallabies play on top of the normal competition.

“It’s good that someone of Hansen’s status has raised the issue.

“It’s not only the number of games and the intensity of the games but it’s where we play the games. The problem with that is that we play across the longitudinal lines.”

Unlike the NRL or AFL, Australian Super Rugby teams play across 12-hour time zones from east to west, making travel a more significant factor.

Harris is convening the International Rugby Players’ Association meeting next month with global season integration on the agenda before raising the issue with the International Rugby Board in July.

But he said it was important for the national unions of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia to address it well ahead of the next broadcast rights agreement for Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship.

“I say SANZAR has some issues to address in terms of player burnout.”