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Recap: Super Rugby Pacific Round One blog
By Finn Morton
The opening night of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season did not disappoint, as both matches set the tone for what promises to be a scintillating year ahead for rugby fans.
Defending champions the Crusaders were handed an early season wakeup call on their home deck, as the visiting Chiefs began their campaign with an empathic 31-10 win.
On the other side of the Tasman, the Waratahs and Brumbies played out an Australian rugby classic in front of a vocal crowd at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.
While the Brumbies won the match 31-25 – with scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan 16 of those for the visitors – the Tahs can take plenty out of the opening round loss.
If those two matches are anything to go by, then rugby fans in the Pacific are in for a treat as the opening round enters its second day.
Up first, Moana Pasifika will go head-to-head with their rivals Fijian Drua and Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium.
Following their maiden Super Rugby campaigns last year, both teams have an opportunity to start their season with a bang following a full preseason.
The competition then heads south for the fourth match of the season, and the second Kiwi derby, as the Highlanders prepare to host the Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Following last year’s disappointing defeat in the final at home, the Blues will be eager to go one better in 2023.
“They’ll be desperate and hungry, They had a hell of a season, 15 in a row, won some tight games,” Crusaders coach Scott Robertson told Weekend Sport with Jason Pine last week.
“The Blues are always a great rival… All New Zealand teams on their day are tough to beat.”
As the home side, they’ve named an exciting matchday squad to kick off their campaign. Halfback Folau Fakatava is set to start alongside flyhalf Mitch Hunt in the halves.
But interestingly, former England international Freddie Burns has been named in the No. 22 jersey – and is expected to make his Super Rugby debut off the bench.
Once the full time siren has sounded in Dunedin, and the result is etched into the history books, Super Rugby makes its way back across the ditch for two matches to round out the week.
At 6:35pm AEST, the Queensland Reds will play the Hurricanes in Townsville – the first Trans-Tasman derby of the season.
The Hurricanes will be without injured duo Ruben Love and Brett Cameron.
“It’s pretty frustrating timing obviously but it could be worse,” Cameron told RugbyPass earlier this week.
“I’m in a pretty good spot at the moment where I’m hoping to get back and playing some sort of minutes at the end of next week, all going well.”
The Western Force will host the Melbourne Rebels in the final match of the opening round.
Scrumhalf James Tuttle will play his 50th Super Rugby match at Perth’s NIB Stadium, while the Force are looking to bounce back from their preseason loss to Fijian Drua in Brisbane last week.
RugbyPass will be keeping you updated on all the latest action throughout all four matches today, which you can follow below.
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Latest Comments
I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
Go to commentsWhatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.
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