New Zealand Rugby confirm start date and schedule of Super Rugby Aotearoa competition

New Zealand Rugby has confirmed that Super Rugby Aotearoa featuring the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders will start on June 13, allowing players four weeks to adequately prepare with contact training.

Today’s news follows the Government’s announcement that professional rugby and netball could resume at alert level two.

The competition will see the five Super Rugby clubs playing each other home and away over 10 weeks, with two matches every weekend at 5.05pm on Saturdays and 3.05pm on Sundays. Matches will be played in closed stadiums until Government advises an approach to managing mass gatherings in controlled venues that will allow fans to return.

The schedule for the competition has also been announced today. In the opening weekend, the Highlanders will play the Chiefs in Dunedin on June 13, with the Blues playing the Hurricanes in Auckland the following day.

All matches will be streamed live on RugbyPass.

NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said he was delighted for fans that they would have top-quality rugby on their screens in just over a month.

“The thought of five world-class Kiwi teams battling it out in 20 matches over 10 weeks should put a smile back on the faces of many people. I know our players are excited and I’m sure rugby fans will be as well.”

Robinson said they always knew they had to take the Government’s lead on when it was safe for rugby to return, and now it was critical the sport did everything to mitigate the further spread of COVID-19.

“Medical and operational staff across NZR, the Players’ Association and the clubs have been working together to ensure we have detailed plans in place to protect the health and safety of everyone involved.”