Reports this week suggest the New Zealand Rugby Union is quietly amassing a $2 million war chest to help recruit high profile players such as Sonny Bill Williams, Cory Jane and Liam Messam to the cause in 2016.

New Australian sevens coach Geraint John has already flagged recruitment across Super Rugby, the NRL and other codes in his search for the best four or five players to complement his Commonwealth Games bronze medal-winning men's team.

But as the sport in Australia faces further revenue decline over at least the next two years, the ARU's head of national programs, Andrew Fagan, ruled out paying potential targets any extra to make the switch to sevens.

"There are certainly no slush funds in Australian rugby," Fagan said.

"I would love that to be the case but unfortunately it's not."

Unlike the NZRU, which centrally contracts its professional players, the ARU maintains a roster of up to 30 so-called players of national interest, and funds the provinces to directly contract the remainder of their Super Rugby squads.

Fagan says this system will give the ARU the flexibility to negotiate with the provinces and individual players to ensure no one is left out of pocket.

"We understand the commercial reward for their work is an important component for players and we are confident we will be able to present a compelling case there," he said.

"The ARU already invests in 30 of our top players and if they were to be playing sevens at the Olympics, or in an Olympic year, then it's proposed that the payment would not change.

"In some initial discussions I've had with player managers about how a model might look, I've only had my confidence boosted."

John has already embarked on the delicate process of negotiating with the five Super Rugby coaches about the potential release of some of their players after next year's world cup.

Liam Gill from Queensland and Sean McMahon from Melbourne were both released to join the sevens program in their preparations for Glasgow.

Unlike his predecessor, Mick O'Connor, who was of the view Super Rugby players would need to play at least four world series tournaments in the summer of 2015-16, John is prepared to be  more flexible.

The former Canada coach, who regularly selected 15s players in his squad, believes the fitness levels required in sevens means any potential converts will need a minimum of three months conditioning work in the lead-up to Rio, plus at least one world series tournament.

In the case of Israel Folau, for example, should he re-sign with the ARU for 2016, that could mean a sevens tournament in December, and a maximum of two or three months in Super Rugby before joining the sevens program in April.

Others may require more tournament time, or an entire series, making the co-operation of the players' Super Rugby clubs crucial.

"We are not looking to create a competitive market place within Australian rugby," Fagan said.

"We're looking to create a partnership with the ARU, the Super Rugby club and the player that allows a number of athletes to join the squad and compete in an Olympic Games and then return to Super Rugby and the Wallabies."