Queensland Reds football boss Sam Cordingley will visit French rugby clubs when the side play in Japan and Italy as he champions November fixtures as an Australian rugby system fix.
The Reds have super-charged their annual preseason tour that begins against long-time partners Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in Ota this weekend.
They will play the Wild Knights again in a capped fixture in Kumagaya next weekend, before flying to Italy to face an Italian XV and Benetton in Treviso later this month.
Last year the Reds played Bristol and UIster on their first European tour in 35 years.
Those games were in late January and early February though, on the eve of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
Cordingley said touring in November made more sense, with the Wallabies in the middle of their Nations Championship campaign on the same continent, Japanese clubs in preseason mode and Europe's clubs on a World Rugby-sanctioned break.
The Brumbies will play Kintetsu Liners in Osaka this month in a one-off tour game while the NSW Waratahs and Western Force will remain at home before domestic preseason fixtures early next year.
The Reds depart on Wednesday with the professional code's collective bargaining agreement expired and the governing body and players' union at odds over what's considered a fair revenue share.
Retaining the top talent is central to the negotiation and former Wallabies scrumhalf Cordingley has long seen opportunities like this Reds tour as an effective strategy with Wallabies spin-offs.
"It's about how we can support to improve the system and the Reds are trying to drive some innovation and create some opportunities," Cordingley told AAP.
"We currently have four Super Rugby clubs operating across four different schedules, which creates challenges around competition consistency, player availability and management."
Cordingley met with Benetton officials on his last visit earlier this year and will do the same in France this month, with hopes to lure European clubs to Ballymore in coming years.
Prop Zane Nonggorr will feature for the Reds in Japan, earning valuable game time before rejoining the Wallabies in Europe.
Fit-again flyhalf Tom Lynagh will also be in the shop window in Europe should a Test playmaker be injured, while Treyvon Pritchard is expected to return from a long-term leg injury on the tour.
Recruits Izaia Perese and Cadeyrn Neville as well as fellow Wallabies Matt Faessler and Aidan Ross will also tour after missing selection in the Test squad.
