Australia international Scott Fardy has labelled Super Rugby's governing body SANZAAR as "faceless men in suits" after the decision to cull three teams from the competition.

The 18-team format in Super Rugby will be trimmed back to 15 from next season with one Australian and two South African sides to be cut.

One of Melbourne Rebels or Western Force will be chopped in Australia, although the process may become a drawn out affair if the teams follow up on suggestions they could take legal action against the Australian Rugby Union (ARU).

Fardy, who plays for Brumbies, is to leave the competition at the end of the season to join Leinster, but the Wallabies lock took a parting shot at SANZAAR over the uncertainty players are facing.

"It's disappointing it's taken this long but is anyone surprised? This is the game we're in, it's been like this for a long time," he told reporters.

"The officialdom in this game has always been like that.

"Obviously everyone looks at the ARU at the moment but you wouldn't know who the head of SANZAAR is at any point - I wouldn't know what he looks like.

"In other sports, especially in Australia, you have a head we can look at. In SANZAAR rugby we don't know who is running it.

"It's faceless men in suits in board rooms."

On the future of players at the Force and the Rebels, Fardy added: "It's guys' livelihoods. It's incredibly tough for players to have go through that.

"I'm hoping that with all that stuff we get change so we're not having these conversations in five or 10 years."