It’s hard to tell if some of Australia’s Super Rugby teams actually have a deep desire to win – or are they satisfied just playing?

I went and watched the Manly Marlins v the Gordon Highlanders in Sydney club rugby from the women’s to the first grade.

All teams gave it one hell of a go and were celebrating in success or devastated in a loss.

This is what the sport of rugby is all about and it dawned on me the difference between that and the professional level, particularly Super Rugby.

Again, last round was a week of happiness and frustration from both sides of the ditch.

There are clearly talented squads languishing at the bottom of the ladder, while those encompassing lesser known cattle are middle of the table.

There are some great games in Super Rugby and from week to week, we don’t seem to know which team will roll out, but the cream rises to the top and team performance out does individual brilliance all the time.

The Reds-Crusaders clash was a great battle of planning and off the cuff play and shows a great spectacle, similar to the Reds-Blues game the week before.

Queensland has struggled against NZ opposition over the past 15 years but they are now showing they want to play.

The Brumbies continue to be the standard setter for Australian Rugby as has been for the past 7-8 years. The ACT side applies rugby nous and combine it with flashes of brilliance to get them over the line.

They were punished by the Blues in Auckland, and it clearly hurt them.

Since then, they have turned it around and shown what they are capable of, however, they need to deliver week in and week out.

It is clear to me that the Reds and the Brumbies are playing for the pride in their jerseys. They don’t want to lose, and it hurts when it does.

Now to the Rebels, Tahs and the Force.

Granted the Waratahs have suffered key injuries, especially in the front row, but they’re simply don’t seem have the same natural response from a loss as they do from a win.

Whenever they win, they are jumping for joy, but a loss seems to bring a reaction of “we did our best, we’ll look at the tape and come back better next week”.

The losses are simply not hurting them the way they do for a Kiwi brothers or the Reds and the Brumbies.

Throw in the fact that the Force and the Rebels seem to throw in remarkable performances for 20 minute stints and we are faced with a dilemma.

It is clear to me the Waratahs are playing for top ups and the Force and the Rebels are simply just playing.

The Rebels will have a lot on their minds, of course, but their attitude from week to week or even 20 mins in or out, are showing signs of a lack of commitment.

The Force are trying to figure out a style under Cron, but their up and down responses are incredible.

This isn’t a Rugby Australia issue, nor is it a coaching issue per se, but the players don’t seem to have desire or an emotional impact to losing.

All sports go through this, the NRL with Souths is a classic example, having said that, we have five professional teams (for now) in Australian Rugby and three of the five aren’t showing a desire to win or an effect from a loss.

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It’s up to administrators and the coaches to achieve that of course, but if the players don’t care, then the players need to take the responsibility.

It’s time to think of your supporters and why you are there in the first place.