The Queensland coach Phil Mooney has warned Australian rugby doesn't have the playing stocks to house a fifth franchise in a proposed expanded Super 15 from 2011.
After many months of bickering and disagreement, leading officials from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa agreed on a Super rugby compromise in crisis talks in Dublin late Thursday.
While governing body SANZAR were keeping the finer details of their expansion plans secret on Friday, the early indications were Australia would be the base for the new 15th team.
If that's the case, Melbourne - edged out by Perth's Western Force for a Super 14 berth in 2006 - stands as the overwhelming favourite for the licence.
But Mooney, whose Reds have finished in the bottom three of the ladder for the past six seasons, fears a fifth Australian team would be cannon-fodder and could also undermine the four existing teams.
