Super Rugby is set for its most significant evolution yet with four new conferences, three new teams, two new countries and one new trophy.
at a glance
Expansion to 18 teams with the addition of the Kings from South Africa and new teams from Japan and Argentina which will be unveiled after the Rugby World Cup
Four conferences in two groups:
Australasian Group
Australian Conference (Brumbies, Force, Rebels, Reds, Waratahs),
New Zealand Conference (Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders Highlanders, Hurricanes)
South African Group:
Africa Conference 1 (Bulls, Cheetahs, Stormers, Japanese Team),
Africa Conference 2 (Kings, Lions, Sharks, Argentinean Team)
15 Regular Season games per team (8 home/7 away or vice-versa over a two-year cycle)
Two byes per team
135 Regular Season and 7 Finals matches (up from 120 and 5 currently)
Eight-team knockout Super Rugby Finals Series to be staged over three weeks (5 qualifiers from the Australasian Group and 3 from the South African Group)
The four Conference winners automatically qualify for the Finals Series, along with the next three highest-ranked Australasian Group teams and the next highest-ranked South African Group team
FIXTURES
ROUND 1
Friday February 26: Blues v Highlanders, Eden Park; Brumbies v Hurricanes, GIO Stadium; Cheetahs v Argentina, Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Saturday February 27: Japan v Lions, Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium; Crusaders v Chiefs, AMI Stadium; Waratahs v Reds , Allianz Stadium; Force v Rebels, nib Stadium; Kings v Sharks, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium; Stormers v Bulls, Newlands
ROUND 2
Friday March 4: Crusaders v Blues, AMI Stadium; Brumbies v Waratahs, GIO Stadium;
Saturday March 5: Chiefs v Lions, TBC; Highlanders v Hurricanes, TBC; Reds v Force, Suncorp Stadium; Bulls v Rebels, Loftus Versfeld; Cheetahs v Stormers, Free State Stadium; Sharks v Argentina, Growthpoint Kings Park
BYES: Japan, Kings
ROUND 3
Friday March 11: Blues v Hurricanes, Eden Park; Force v Brumbies, nib Stadium
Saturday March 12: Highlanders v Lions, TBC; Rebels v Reds, AAMI Park; Japan v Cheetahs, Singapore National Stadium; Kings v Chiefs, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium; Stormers v Sharks, Newlands
BYES: Argentina, Bulls, Crusaders, Waratahs
ROUND 4
Friday March 18: Hurricanes v Force, TBC; Waratahs v Highlanders, Allianz Stadium; Bulls v Sharks, Loftus Versfeld
Saturday March 19: Japan v Rebels, Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium; Crusaders v Kings, AMI Stadium; Reds v Blues, Suncorp Stadium; Lions v Cheetahs, Emirates Airlines Park; Stormers v Brumbies, Newlands; Argentina v Chiefs TBC
ROUND 5
Friday March 25: Hurricanes v Kings, TBC
Saturday March 26: Chiefs v Force, TBC; Rebels v Highlanders, AAMI Park; Japan v Bulls, Singapore National Stadium; Cheetahs v Brumbies Free State Stadium; Sharks v Crusaders, Growthpoint Kings Park; Argentina v Stormers, TBC
Sunday March 27: Reds v Waratahs Suncorp Stadium
BYES: Blues, Lions
ROUND 6
(Daylight savings ends Australia and New Zealand)
Friday April 1: Highlanders v Force,TBC; Lions v Crusaders, Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday April 2: Blues v Argentina, QBE Stadium; Brumbies v Chiefs, GIO Stadium; Kings v Japan, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium; Bulls v Cheetahs, Loftus Versfeld
Sunday April 3: Waratahs v Rebels, Allianz Stadium
BYES: Hurricanes, Reds, Sharks, Stormers
ROUND 7
Friday April 8: Chiefs v Blues, TBC; Force v Crusaders, nib Stadium; Stormers v Japan,DHL Newlands
Saturday April 9: Hurricanes v Argentina, TBC; Reds v Highlanders, Suncorp Stadium; Sharks v Lions Growthpoint Kings Park; Kings v Bulls, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
BYES: Brumbies, Cheetahs, Rebels, Waratahs
ROUND 8
Friday April 15: Crusaders v Argentina, AMI Stadium; Rebels v Hurricanes, AAMI Park; Cheetahs v Japan, Free State Stadium
Saturday April 16: Blues v Sharks, Eden Park; Waratahs v Brumbies, Allianz Stadium; Bulls v Reds, Loftus Versfeld; Lions v Stormers Emirates, Airlines Park
BYES: Chiefs, Force, Highlanders, Kings
ROUND 9
(Anzac Day Weekend)
Friday April: 22: Highlanders v Sharks, TBC; Rebels v Cheetahs,AAMI Park
Saturday April 23: Japan v Argentina, Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium; Hurricanes v Chiefs, TBC; Force v Waratahs nib Stadium; Stormers v Reds, DHL Newlands; Kings v Lions Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Sunday April 24: Brumbies v Crusaders, GIO Stadium
BYES: Blues, Bulls
ROUND 10
Friday April 29: Chiefs v Sharks, TBC; Force v Bulls, nib Stadium
Saturday April 30: Highlanders v Brumbies, TBC; Blues v Rebels, Eden Park; Reds v Cheetahs, Suncorp Stadium; Lions v Hurricanes, Emirates Airlines Park; Stormers v Waratahs, DHL Newlands; Argentina v Kings, TBC
BYES: Crusaders, Japan
ROUND 11
Friday May 6: Crusaders v Reds, AMI Stadium; Brumbies v Bulls, GIO Stadium
Saturday May 7: Japan v Force Prince, Chichibu Memorial Stadium; Chiefs v Highlanders, TBC; Waratahs v Cheetahs, Allianz Stadium; Sharks v Hurricanes Growthpoint Kings Park; Kings v Blues, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
BYES: Argentina, Lions, Rebels, Stormers
ROUND 12
Friday May 13: Highlanders v Crusaders, TBC; Rebels v Brumbies, AAMI Park
Saturday May 14: Hurricanes v Reds, TBC; Waratahs v Bulls, Allianz Stadium; Japan v Stormers, Singapore National Stadium; Cheetahs v Kings, Free State Stadium; Lions v Blues, Emirates Airlines Park; Argentina v Sharks, TBC
BYES: Chiefs, Force
ROUND 13
Friday May 20: Crusaders v Waratahs, AMI Stadium
Saturday May 21: Reds v Japan, Suncorp Stadium; Chiefs v Rebels, TBC; Force v Blues, nib Stadium; Lions v Argentina, Emirates Airlines Park; Sharks v Kings Growthpoint Kings Park; Bulls v Stormers, Loftus Versfeld
BYES: Brumbies, Cheetahs, Highlanders, Hurricanes
ROUND 14
FridayMay 27: Hurricanes v Highlanders, TBC; Waratahs v Chiefs, Allianz Stadium; Kings v Argentina, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Saturday May 28: Blues v Crusaders, Eden Park; Brumbies v Japan, GIO Stadium; Stormers v Cheetahs DHL Newlands; Bulls v Lions, Loftus Versfeld
Sunday May 29: Rebels v Force AAMI Park
BYES: Reds, Sharks
ROUND 15
Friday July 1: Chiefs v Crusaders, TBCl; Brumbies v Reds ,GIO Stadium
Saturday July 2: Japan v Waratahs, Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium; Hurricanes v Blues, TBC; Rebels v Stormers, AAMI Park; Cheetahs v Force, Free State Stadium; Kings v Highlanders, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium; Lions v Sharks, Emirates Airlines Park; Argentina v Bulls, TBC
ROUND 16
Friday July 8: Blues v Brumbies, Eden Park; Reds v Chiefs, Suncorp Stadium; Lions v Kings, Emirates Airlines Park
Saturday July 9: Crusaders v Rebels, AMI Stadium; Waratahs v Hurricanes, Allianz Stadium; Force v Stormers, nib Stadium; Bulls v Japan, Loftus Versfeld; Sharks v Cheetahs Growthpoint Kings Park; Argentina v Highlanders, TBC
ROUND 17
Friday July 15: Blues v Waratahs, Eden Park; Reds v Rebels, Suncorp Stadium; Sharks v Japan Growthpoint Kings Park
Saturday July 16: Crusaders v Hurricanes, AMI Stadium; Highlanders v Chiefs, TBC; Brumbies v Force ,GIO Stadium; Stormers v Kings, DHL Newlands; Cheetahs v Bulls, Free State Stadium; Argentina v Lions, TBC
Qualifiers
Friday July 22 and Saturday July 23
Semi Finals
Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30
Final
Saturday August 6- The Star and ANA