Super crusade starts in Christchurch
The seven-time champions Crusaders will kick off the 2015 Super Rugby campaign against the Melbourne Rebels, at home, on February 13.
The competition will start simultaneously in all territories – after staggered starts in recent years – and will run without interruption until the Final on July 4 – in the absence of June internationals because of it being a World Cup year.
The defending champion Waratahs, who beat the Crusaders with a contentious last-minute penalty to win their first title last month, will face the Western Force at home two days later.
In other opening round games, the Brumbies take on the Reds, strengthened by the high-profile signings of James O'Connor and Karmichael Hunt, in Canberra, while the Blues host the Chiefs in Auckland.
The Sharks and the Bulls launch their seasons at home with all-South African derbies – against the Cheetahs and Stormers respectively.
The Lions host the Hurricanes at Johannesburg's Ellis Park.
A re-match of the record-breaking Final will take place in Round 15, when the Waratahs and Crusaders return to Sydney on May 23.
"The 2015 season marks the final year of Super Rugby in its current [15-team] format before the competition expands [to 18 teams] into a bold new era from 2016," SANZAR Chief Executive Greg Peters noted.
The return of the Southern Kings from South Africa's Eastern Cape and a side based in Argentina have already been confirmed for 2016 – with Japan and Singapore vying for the licence to run the remaining team.
The season in 2015 kicks off on the same weekend as usual in February, but finishes a month earlier to allow national teams adequate time to prepare for the 2015 World Cup in England from September 18.
New Zealand teams are taking the opportunity to consider delivering their Super Rugby fixtures to alternative locations, particularly in regional areas, because some venues are unavailable due to a clash with other events.
"A great deal of thought and planning has gone into the 2015 draw and we are absolutely thrilled to have produced an outcome that sees Australian and New Zealand teams all in action across the ANZAC Centenary weekend," SANZAR Chief Executive Greg Peters said.
"It will be a tremendous occasion for people to come together to reflect on the significance of the day beyond the rugby field and we expect this will be a highly poignant and memorable occasion."
Each team plays home and away derbies within their own conference, plus the following cross-conference matches in the 2015 Super Rugby season:
Australia:
Brumbies: Chiefs (A) Cheetahs (H) Blues (A) Highlanders (H) Stormers (A) Lions (A) Bulls (H) Crusaders (A)
Force: Hurricanes (H) Bulls (A) Sharks (A) Cheetahs (H) Stormers (H) Chiefs (A) Blues (A) Highlanders (H)
Rebels: Crusaders (A) Lions (H) Hurricanes (A) Chiefs (H) Blues (H) Stormers (A) Sharks (A) Bulls (H)
Reds: Highlanders (A) Lions (H) Bulls (A) Cheetahs (A) Hurricanes (H) Crusaders (A) Sharks (H) Chiefs (H)
Waratahs: Highlanders (A) Blues (H) Stormers (H) Hurricanes (A) Sharks (H) Crusaders (H) Lions (A) Cheetahs (A)
New Zealand:
Blues: Stormers (A) Cheetahs (A) Lions (H) Waratahs (A) Brumbies (H) Force (H) Rebels (A) Bulls (H)
Chiefs: Brumbies (H) Stormers (A) Sharks (A) Cheetahs (H) Force (H) Rebels (A) Bulls (H) Reds (A)
Crusaders: Rebels (H) Lions (H) Cheetahs (H) Bulls (A) Sharks (A) Reds (H) Waratahs (A) Brumbies (A)
Highlanders: Reds (H) Waratahs (H) Stormers (H) Brumbies (A) Sharks (H) Lions (A) Cheetahs (A) Force (A)
Hurricanes: Lions (A) Bulls (A) Force (A) Rebels (H) Stormers (H) Waratahs (H) Reds (A) Sharks (H)
South Africa:
Bulls: Hurricanes (H) Force (H) Crusaders (H) Reds (H) Blues (A) Chiefs (A) Brumbies (A) Rebels (A)
Cheetahs: Blues (H) Crusaders (A) Chiefs (A) Brumbies (A) Force (A) Reds (H) Highlanders (H) Waratahs (H)
Lions: Hurricanes (H) Blues (A) Crusaders (A) Rebels (A) Reds (A) Highlanders (H) Brumbies (H) Waratahs (H)
Sharks: Chiefs (H) Force (H) Crusaders (H) Highlanders (A) Hurricanes (A) Waratahs (A) Reds (A) Rebels (H)
Stormers: Blues (H) Chiefs (H) Highlanders (A) Hurricanes (A) Waratahs (A) Force (A) Brumbies (H) Rebels (H)
