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Final rematch headlines 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season schedule
By Ned Lester
The 2025 Super Rugby Pacific schedule is here and sees a revised, 11-team field compete over 16 rounds of action.
The season kicks off in Christchurch where the reeling Crusaders host the powerhouse Hurricanes on Friday, February 14. Sydney, Suva, Auckland and Perth also play host to the opening round of fixtures, with the Reds the first team to have a bye week.
Round one will also see the 2024 final rematch between the Blues and Chiefs held at Eden Park, with the two sides squaring off again in round five. The fifth week of the competition will be kids round, two weeks following culture round in round three. Round 11 is ANZAC weekend round.
Round 16 will be played on the 30th and 31st of May before the playoffs begin in June.
“We are delighted to unveil the draw for 2025 so members and fans can begin circling dates in their diaries and making plans for the season ahead,” Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley said.
“From Suva to Sydney, Canberra to Christchurch, and even a blockbuster in Tonga, our competition will again deliver its brand of fast, physical and thrilling rugby, starring some of our game’s greatest athletes.
“Traditional rivalries will be reignited and new challengers emerge as the reigning champion Blues launch their first title defence in more than two decades.”
Of particular interest in 2025 will be the new-look Waratahs and Moana Pasifika sides, both clubs having recruited strongly over the offseason and benefitted from the Melbourne Rebels' demise.
Moana Pasifika, after a season where their home fixtures bounced around the upper North Island of New Zealand as they struggled to find a home base, will be based at North Harbour Stadium in 2025, while also hosting their round six matchup with the Chiefs at Tonga's Teufaiva Sport Stadium.
For the full season schedule, click here.
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Latest Comments
Yes I was surprised at how close the pen count was - the spread between best and worst being just 2. The number of yellow cards though will surely be something the Boks will look to address
Go to commentsBriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiistol! Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiistol! Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiistol!
It's incredible to see the boys playing like this. Back to the form that saw them finish on top of the regular season and beat Toulon to win the challenge cup. Ibitoye and Ravouvou doing a cracking Piutau/Radradra impression.
It's abundantly clear that Borthwick and Wigglesworth need to transform the England attack and incorporate some of the Bears way. Unfortunately until the Bears are competing in Europe, the old criticisms will still be used.. we failed to fire any punches against La Rochelle and Leinster which goes to show there is still work to do but both those sides are packed full of elite players so it's not the fairest comparison to expect Bristol to compete with them. I feel Bristol are on the way up though and the best is yet to come. Tom Jordan next year is going to be obscene.
Test rugby is obviously a different beast and does Borthwick have enough time with the players to develop the level of skill the Bears plays have? Even if he wanted to? We should definitely be able to see some progress, Scotland have certainly managed it. England aren't going to start throwing the ball around like that but England's attack looks prehistoric by comparison, I hope they take some inspiration from the clarity and freedom of expression shown by the Bears (and Scotland - who keep beating us, by the way!). Bristol have the best attack in the premiership, it'd be mad for England to ignore it because it doesn't fit with the Borthwick and Wigglesworth idea of how test rugby should be played. You gotta use what is available to you. Sadly I think England will try reluctantly to incorporate some of these ideas and end up even more confused and lacking identity than ever. At the moment England have two teams, they have 14 players and Marcus Smith. Marcus sticks out as a sore thumb in a team coached to play in a manner ideologically opposed to the way he plays rugby, does the Bears factor confuse matters further? I just have no confidence in Borthers and Wiggles.
Crazy to see the Prem with more ball in play than SR!
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