Eddie Jones’ tenure as the new Stormers coach will kick off with a blockbuster Super Rugby clash against the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday, February 27.
In the new 18-team competition, the six South African teams, including the Kings, are grouped in two African pools along with the new entrants from Japan and Argentina. The existing 10 Australasian teams will be divided into New Zealand and Australian pools.
The winners of each pool will earn automatic entry to the knockout Super Rugby Finals Series. The next highest-ranked team from the African conferences will also be placed in the Finals Series, along with the three next highest-ranked teams from the Australasian conference.
The Stormers are in Africa Conference 1 with the Bulls, Cheetahs, and the new Japanese team. They will also play against the Australian Conference teams.
Africa Conference 2 features the Kings, Lions, Sharks and the Argentinian team, and will play against the New Zealand conference teams. –
l World Cup giant-killers Japan will get their first taste of Super Rugby action at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo when they host the Lions.
The new Japanese franchise, yet to unveil a team name or squad list, have been drawn in one of two African Conferences with the Bulls, Cheetahs and Stormers.
The Japanese will play three home matches – against the Cheetahs (Round 3), Bulls (Round 5) and Stormers (Round 12) – at the National Stadium in Singapore as part of a deal struck before beating out a bid from the Southeast Asians to become Super Rugby’s 18th side.
The new Japanese side is expected to comprise many from the national team playing at the Rugby World Cup in England, where they shocked the world with a 34-32 win over South Africa in Group B last week.
Sanzar says more details on the Japanese franchise will “be formally unveiled in the coming months” after recent speculation Japan could be stripped of the place following a lack of progress.
The organisation said details would also come in due course on the new Argentinian team, who kick off their campaign in Bloemfontein against the Cheetahs.
The South Americans have been drawn in the other African Conference alongside the Lions, Sharks and Kings.
Defending champions the Otago Highlanders kick off the season on February 26 away to the Auckland Blues before the ACT Brumbies host the Wellington Hurricanes on an opening night involving three of last year’s four semi-finalists. – John Goliath and Reuters
STORMERS FIXTURES
February 27: Bulls (Cape Town)
March 5: Cheetahs (Bloemfontein)
March 12: Sharks (Cape Town)
March 19: Brumbies (Cape Town)
March 26: Argentinian team (Argentina)
April 9: Japanese team (Cape Town)
April 16: Lions (Johannesburg)
April 23: Reds (Cape Town)
April 30: Waratahs (Cape Town)
May 14: Japanese team (Japan)
May 21: Bulls (Pretoria)
May 28: Cheetahs (Cape Town)
July 2: Rebels (Melbourne)
July 9: Force (Perth)
July 16: Kings (Cape Town)
Qualifiers: July 22-23
Semi-finals: July 29-30
Final: August 6