'Super Round' ditched as Trans-Tasman draw is finalised
NEWS: New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and Rugby Australia (RA) have confirmed the final schedule for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman with additional home matches for the Blues, Hurricanes and Highlanders and trips to Wollongong and Townsville respectively for the Crusaders and Chiefs.
The matches announced on Friday are for Round Three of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman tournament which will kick off on Friday, May 14, and replace the proposed ‘Super Round’ which would have seen a full round of matches played at a single venue.
Round Three of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman will have a strong regional flavour when it kicks-off at McLean Park in Napier with the Hurricanes hosting the Western Force on Friday, May 28.
A blockbuster Saturday will see the Crusaders head to WIN Stadium in Wollongong to play the Waratahs, the Blues host the Brumbies at Eden Park in Auckland, then the Chiefs play the Queensland Reds in the inaugural Super Rugby match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
The Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels will round out Round Three on Sunday afternoon on May 30 at a venue still to be finalised within the Highlanders region.
The remainder of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman schedule remains unchanged from that announced last December.
There will be a final between the two top-placed teams on the combined competition ladder, which is scheduled for Saturday, June 19.
NZR General Manager Professional Rugby & High-Performance Chris Lendrum said: “We are grateful to be in a position to lock in the final matches for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and with the travel bubble open we’re all looking forward to welcoming our Australian counterparts to New Zealand next month.
“It’s disappointing we were unable to get the ‘Super Round’ off the ground in 2021, but I’m sure it’s a concept we will re-visit in the future.
“Fans and players are understandably focused on the exciting final rounds of Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU, but I’m sure when the dust settles there will be an air of anticipation as to how the respective teams measure up against their trans-Tasman rivals.”
Updated fixtures for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Round Three
Friday, May 28
Hurricanes v Western Force at McLean Park, Napier – 19:05 NZT/17:05 AEST
Saturday, May 29
Waratahs v Crusaders at WIN Stadium, Wollongong – 17:05 NZT/15:05 AEST
Blues v Brumbies at Eden Park, Auckland – 19:15 NZT/17:15 AEST
Reds v Chiefs at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville – 21:45 NZT/19:45 AEST
Sunday, May 30
Highlanders v Melbourne Rebels, venue TBC in Highlanders region – 14:35 NZT/12:35 AEST
