Brumbies coaching addition Tony Rea has played down the chances of a hybrid rugby game ever being developed between union and league.

Rea will be on deck with the Brumbies in next year's Super 14 in an assistant's role, having spent the past 14 years coaching in the UK professional league arena.

The introduction of the IRB's experimental law variations have seen some pundits claim the differences between union and league have been massively reduced.

That has led calls to be made for a possible merger between the codes.

But that is something Rea, a former captain of the North Sydney Bears, said would not succeed.

"The fans don't want it, the TV doesn't want it because they would lose a season and the players don't want it," Rea told the Daily Telegraph.

"Rugby league is on fire in the north, rugby union is on fire throughout Europe. Everyone's happy.

"The two games live really well existing besides each other.

"The challenge is getting people to participate in any live sport, playing it or going out watching it.

"The ball is a continuous contest in rugby union, for example, and in rugby league it is a six-tackle strategy. Some things you can carry over and some things you can't."

Rea has returned to Australia to be part of a radically new-look Brumbies coaching team.

Head coach Laurie Fisher moved on at the end of the 2008 Super 14.

He has been replaced by Andy Friend.

His back-up team includes forwards coach Owen Finegan, scrum coach Bill Young, Rea and kicking coach Julian Huxley.

"I have no challenges there, no question," Rea said.