1
'Rivalry' match ups in Super Rugby draw
By AAP
Three "rivalry" match ups for each team are a feature of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific draw announced on Sunday.
Each of the 12 teams will play 14 regular season matches, meeting every other side at least once and playing three designated opponents twice, home and away.
Next season's competition also sees Fijian Drua playing six home matches in Fiji after being based in Australia last season while New Zealand-based Moana Pasifika will play an historic first home match in Apia against the Queensland Reds in round eight.
Defending champions the Crusaders kick off the season on Friday, February 24 in a home clash with the Chiefs.
Round two is the previously-announced Super Round at AAMI Park in Melbourne where all 12 teams will gather.
All teams get one bye round in weeks 7, 8 or 9 and the top eight teams will again qualify for the finals.
Afternoon kick-offs are another feature of the draw with 24 daytime matches.
The "rivalry" matc h ups for the home and away clashes are mostly against teams from the same country .
The match ups are:-
Brumbies v Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels and NSW Waratahs
NSW Waratahs v Fijian Drua, Melbourne Rebels and ACT Brumbies
Queensland Reds v Fijian Drua, Force and ACT Brumbies
Melbourne Rebels v Western Force, NSW Waratahs and ACT Brumbies
Western Force v Highlanders, Reds and Rebels
Blues v Hurricanes, Highlanders and Crusaders
Chiefs v Crusaders, Hurricanes and Highlanders
Crusaders v Blues, Chiefs and Moana Pasifika
Highlanders v Blues, Force and Chiefs
Hurricanes v Blues, Chiefs and Moana Pasifika
Moana Pasifika v Hurricanes, Highlanders and Fijian Drua
Fijian Drua v Moana Pasifika, Reds and Waratahs.
"Being able to play regularly in front of home fans, and to travel across the Tasman and around the Pacific is massive for the competition, especially for fans, who can support their teams through a full home schedule," s aid Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos.
"Everyone saw what Super Rugby Pacific had to offer in its first season and all 12 clubs have taken that excitement into the off-season and will be primed for a shot at the title in 2023."
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales have the same problem
3
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
4
Let's be real about these All Blacks
5
Latest Comments
There is nothing particularly significant about Ireland in this regard compared to other Tier 1 nations. To look at 'strategy' for illegal play its best to see what teams push boundaries with new laws. SA have milked two tries at ruck block downs. The strategy is to charge the first few before the ball is out at about 4 seconds but pull out and put up hands in reigned apology. The referees usually allow the scum half to clear without awarding a penalty in this scenario. The problem with that being that the scrumhalf is now taking over 5 seconds through no fault of his own. Having achieved a few slow balls > 5s , the SA forward can now pick a scrum to charge dead on 5s. Now if the scrum half waits, he will concede a penalty, as we saw against Scotland. With the new rule in place, any early charge should result in an immediate penalty.
SA also got an offside block against England which was pivotal again after a couple of 'apologetic' offside aborted charges forcing England to clear slowly.
Go to commentsYep, you're not the sharpest tool in the shed are you?
Go to comments