The addition of a 15th team to Super rugby could open the door for the Highlanders to recruit elite players from other countries for its squad, chief executive Richard Reid says.
The addition of a fifth team to the Australian conference under the new format could benefit franchises such as the Highlanders, he said.
Reid indicated that Australia would struggle to fill a fifth franchise from its own players.
"If Australia was able to recruit from within Sanzar, then there would be the potential for other countries to do the same," Reid said. Australia and South Africa had already tweaked the system, with Daniel Braid playing for the Reds this year, Reid said.
At present, any player wanting to play for the All Blacks must be a member of a New Zealand franchise.
"The new format would make it possible to tweak the system and this could benefit the Highlanders," Reid said.
"We could recruit a high-quality player like Matt Giteau."
Reid said it would only take a small tweak to develop a more mobile labour market for rugby players within Sanzar.
"It would open up the labour market and a side like the Highlanders could take advantage," he said.
He did not believe in making United Kingdom and European-based New Zealand players eligible for the All Blacks.
"But it makes sense to make it possible for players to be more mobile within Sanzar."
There were several issues that would develop from the Super 15 agreement that was announced by the three Sanzar countries this week.
"It was good to get agreement on the competitive structure and it will be taken to our broadcasting partner, News Corp, in late June," Reid said.
"It was the best compromise possible.
It covers the commercial issues and will reduce the players' travel."
The 24 weeks of the Super 15 will end in early August and the Air New Zealand Cup will not start until late August.
"It will create a clear window for the Air New Zealand Cup and there will also be a window for club rugby," Reid said.
The new format will be discussed by Reid and the chief executives of other Air New Zealand Cup provinces at a meeting in Wellington today.
He was pleased South Africa was still in the mix.
"The players want it, it is commonsense commercially and New Zealand rugby has a lot of tradition with South Africa," Reid said.
Highlanders board chairman Stuart McLauchlan said the Super Rugby competition needed a change.
"It was getting stale and the crowds were not turning up," he said.
"This is not only happening with the Highlanders but is affecting the whole country."
But he had doubts about extending the round-robin part of the competition from 13 to 16 weeks.
"I'm not sure about that.
It could be too much rugby.
But the conference idea is a good one."
McLauchlan said Australia and South Africa were more flexible in their approach to player eligibility for Super 14 teams.
"We have adopted a purer approach in New Zealand," he said.
"But rugby is now a professional sport and in the future it is bound to change."
