Regardless of the outcome of Thursday's appeals hearing, players and teams are on notice. Super Rugby's governing body SANZAR is gunning for the tip tackle and the bans will be ratcheted up steadily until the message gets through.

That's the obvious conclusion drawn from a look at this season's misdemeanours, from the curious tale of Frans Steyn's five-week ban back in March, through Ian Prior's three weeks in April and Robbie Coetzee's three-week ban last week.

Latu and Skelton, handed four weeks and two weeks respectively for their 17th-minute tackle on Crusaders' second-rower Sam Whitelock, had the misfortune of being the latest in a long line of offenders. A one-week deterrence tax used to beef up the sanctions against Prior and Coetzee before them was upped to two weeks in Latu's case.

What will the next offender cop, given that four weeks is the entry level ban for a lifting tackle. Six weeks? Seven?

Perhaps that is what drove NSW coach Michael Cheika to make the following comment at the airport as his side flew to South Africa on Tuesday: "Obviously we are aware that rugby is trying to make sure that the tip tackles and everything like that are clamped down on, and we are with that, we agree with that idea totally. We just feel that the tackles didn't meet the criteria of the law for a red card. As, I think, the match officials saw it on the day. We will go through the appeals process and see what happens."

It was a marked change from his bullish comments immediately after the game and in the 24 hours following, in which he not only defended the tackle - as was his right - but also took issue with a game he believed was confused about itself.

"We're betwixt and between, we're either too soft or too hard - I'm not sure what people want us to do," Cheika told Fairfax Media on Monday. "We just want a game played with physicality, nothing outside of the rules - just played hard. That's what our goal is, as it is for every rugby team. People either want us to be softies or hard - I'm not sure what the issue is."

It is worth noting that Cheika was referring to Skelton's general play, not the tackle on Whitelock. But even so, it appears he wisened up to the fact that the governing body has taken a position on this particular offence.

The Sharks learnt this the hard way with Steyn. The No.12 was red-carded for his tackle on the Chiefs' Aaron Cruden, but had it expunged from his record at a subsequent hearing because judicial chairman Jannie Lubbe found the involvement of teammate Cobus Reinach and one other substantially complicated the tackle. Head office did not approve. They appealed their own man's decision, rejected every one of his arguments and slapped Steyn with a five-week ban. Neither Latu nor Skelton had a snowflake's chance in hell of escaping sanction based on this case alone.

The lesson? Say sorry, say it early, and never, ever rely on empirical evidence to prove a case SANZAR has earmarked as its pet issue.

Changes in Tahland

The Waratahs, meanwhile, are in the midst of a massive overhaul of their football program in preparation for the departure of Michael Cheika.

Incoming head coach Daryl Gibson is close to finalising a forwards coach, and the club fully expects to retain star trio Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale and Skelton.

They still don't have an experienced No.8 or tighthead prop to replace departing big guns Wycliff Palu and Sekope Kepu, and word is they missed out on an unknown young Queensland five-eighth named Jake McIntyre, who recently found himself steering around the park the 2011 champions.

But Gibson and chief executive Greg Harris have a few tricks up their sleeve, including a radical overhaul of the club's development structures and the odd targeted raid on the men's sevens program.

And don't give up on watching Taqele Naiyaravoro steamroll yet more defenders on the Allianz Stadium pitch in 2016.

Wonder woman

Congratulations to Charlotte Caslick, who has been nominated for world women's sevens player of the year.

Caslick, who just turned 20 and has been described by her coach as one of the most gifted attacking players in the women's game, has crossed for 29 tries in her 12 tournament appearances for her country since 2013. She was also nominated for the award last year but lost out to fellow Australian Emilee Cherry.

It caps an almighty season for the women's sevens team, who sealed a historic Olympics qualification with a third-place finish in the sevens world series in Amsterdam last week.

Cost of development

Australia's rugby outposts, Perth and Melbourne, are set to be big winners from the STILL yet to be announced new SANZAR broadcast deal.

The Force and Rebels are understood to have stand-alone academies at the top of their wishlists, worth $500,000 apiece in set-up and running costs.

The requests have been received favourably at Australian Rugby Union headquarters, where academies are seen as the most sustainable way of helping the clubs help themselves.

Hasta la vista, Greg

Greg Peters is leaving the challenging diplomatic post of SANZAR chief executive for the role of Argentina Rugby Union general manager.

After five years placating, cajoling and managing demanding administrators from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, Peters will help shepherd Argentina through a new era, which includes its entry into Super Rugby. A big job for a capable candidate.