Rugby's State of Origin may not happen

Rugby union's mooted State of Origin adaptation won't happen this year and may not happen at all due to an impending increase in Australian Super Rugby derby matches.

But the Queensland Rugby Union has been commended by state event bodies for thinking outside the box and encouraged to keep pitching more "content" ideas that will appeal to a wider audience.

The Queensland Reds will host the NSW Waratahs on Saturday night in the only meeting of the fierce rivals scheduled for this season.

That is a consequence of the Super Rugby's expansion to 18 teams, which has led to an overall decrease in Australian derby matches on the regular season fixture.

With three teams set to be axed next year, that means more local derbies will be on the cards, lessening the need for union's take on the NRL representative showpiece.

That doesn't necessarily sound the death knell for the QRU's brainchild event - tentatively dubbed 'State of Union' - which would have been held at Ballymore on the free weekend straight after the June Test window.

After a mixed response from players, coaches and franchises, it won't be held simply because organisers didn't have enough time to get it up.

However, it may mean that different avenues - like mid-season exhibition matches between the Reds and international teams, or women's tens events - are pursued instead.

"Following a meeting of all Australian franchises and the ARU earlier in the year, the QRU met senior executives from Brisbane Marketing and Tourism and Events Queensland," a QRU spokesman told AAP.

"They were receptive to the idea of more rugby content following the success of the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens,"

"The State of Union concept was one of a number of possible products discussed.

"While we have run out of time to bring the concept to fruition this year, we've all agreed to work together on rugby content that will appeal to the Queensland, Australian and international markets."