Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph sparked a trans-Tasman war of words with his provocative claim that Australian sides were playing schoolboy football under the new Super Rugby format this season.

While backing the concept of more derbies under the conference system, Joseph infuriated Western Force coach Richard Graham in particular with his belittling of all-Australian duels.

"You watch the Waratahs play the Reds and it's different rugby. It's like school stuff while we are at war," Joseph told Wellington's Dominion Post.

Graham demanded Joseph explain himself and insisted Australian match-ups were just as intense as New Zealand fixtures, an assertion supported by Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie and NSW's Test prop Benn Robinson.

"It's a ridiculous statement," Graham said. "I'd like him to come out and clarify what he means.

"Throwing a statement out like that means nothing in the context of things.

"You have a look at any of the games that have been played in Australia this year.

"Our games against the Reds, the Waratahs have all been physical by nature and, generally speaking, good contests.

"So what Jamie Joseph says, I couldn't care."

ARU boss John O'Neill entered the debate at the CEO Sports Lunch in Sydney.

"I think he's incorrect," O'Neill said.

"He inferred that the Reds-Waratahs game was a soft game. Well, I was there and know it was a real contest.

"I think the conference system is working exceptionally well, the crowds like the increased number of local derbies.

"He's got to worry about his backyard, we'll worry about our backyard.

"I noticed the Reds beat the Auckland Blues, so let's get to the end of this season and then we can all make some informed decisions."

McKenzie said one only needed to look at the casualty list from Queensland's brutal recent showdowns with the Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels to see the ferocity of Australian clashes.

Reds Ben Daley (broken nose), Digby Ioane (facial fracture), Luke Morahan (shoulder), Mike Harris (knee) and Ben Lucas (shoulder) were all busted in the bruising encounters.

"I know from the hospital ward after the game, they're not soft games," McKenzie said.

Robinson also found Joseph's comments bewildering.

"Every game you want to be winning and playing your hardest all the time, so they're quite strange comments," he said.

Robinson didn't believe Australian teams lacked the toughness of their southern hemisphere rivals.

"I don't see any disparity between us and the way the South Africans and Kiwis play or the way we approach the games," he said.

"Teams down in the south of New Zealand play a different style to teams up in the north, so you might say that the teams down south play a more physical game.

"But all games are played at 100 per cent all the time."

The Highlanders are sitting seventh, with five rounds remaining before the finals, and only the top six teams make the playoffs.

"We played four New Zealand teams in a row. That's a big ask because they are very physical," Joseph said.

Despite Joseph's grumblings, Graham, McKenzie, Robinson and NSW coach Chris Hickey all agreed that the conference system was as fair as it could be.

"It's freshened the competition up and, from a supporter's point of view, you get to see your own provinces at least playing against everyone at home once a year, which hasn't happened in the past," Graham said.

"So I'm all in favour of it. In the end, you just have to win enough games."

Robinson said he had thoroughly enjoyed the conference format.

"I think all the teams throughout the competition have found it an enjoyable and tough experience."

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