The Chiefs and Crusaders will go head-to-head in Hamilton again to open the new Super Rugby Pacific season next year.
With the draw for the 2024 season announced, a blockbuster first-up clash was revealed, featuring a repeat of this year’s final, with the two big rivals to kick it off at FMG Stadium Waikato, on Friday, February 23.
It doubles as Rob Penney’s first game coaching the Crusaders, having officially taken over from All Blacks coach-elect Scott Robertson at the start of August.
Penney will also get two cracks against the Waratahs – in Melbourne in round two and in Sydney in round eight – the team he coached between 2019 and 2021, before he was sacked.
But that’s after the season-opener, one the Chiefs are sure to be hungry to get one back after the Red and Blacks won the 2023 final 25-20.
The two sides, who had also played this year’s season-opener, in Christchurch, will then do battle in the Garden City just five weeks later in a Good Friday Easter weekend clash on March 29.
There will be a lot of new faces in both sides, with players moving on after the World Cup in France. Some retiring, some off over-seas. Keep a look out on my web-site early in the new season.
A handful of match venues are still to be confirmed in the coming weeks, but Sanzaar said the draw had been released earlier than ever to ensure members and fans could begin planning for their favourite fixtures.
None of Moana Pasifika’s home-game venues have been announced, as they explore opportunities to host fixtures in Samoa – as they did once this year – and other destinations across the Pacific.
The Blues, who kick off their campaign against the Fijian Drua at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei, are in the process of finalising the venues for their Auckland-based fixtures, and look set to possibly take some away from Eden Park.
The opening round features a Friday-Saturday triple-header, with the Rebels hosting the Brumbies in Melbourne later on the Friday night, and then it’s a late start for Hurricanes fans, with a midnight NZ time kickoff for their game against the Force in Perth.
Round two will be the Super Round in Melbourne, with all 12 teams playing over three days at AAMI Park.
As per last year, the draw sees the sides playing 14 regular season matches, consisting of 11 games against every other team, then three additional ‘rivalry’ clashes, as well as one bye each, before the quarterfinals.
“Super Rugby Pacific continues to set the bar as the most entertaining professional club competition in the world, and it’s exciting to launch the draw for 2024,” Super Rugby Pacific tournament director Matt Barlow said.
“The 84-match regular season showcases the fastest and most free-flowing rugby on the planet with world-class talent on show across the squads.
ROUND ONE, 2024 FRIDAY, 23rd, FEBRUARY
CHIEFS v CRUSADERS IN HAMILTON,NZ
REBELS v ACT BRUMBIES IN MELBOURNE
WESTERN FORCE v HURRICANES IN PERTH
SATURDAY 24th, FEBRUARY, 2024
BLUES v FIJIAN DRUA,VENUE TBC
HIGHLANDERS v MOANA PASIFIKA IN DUNEDIN
QUEENSLAND REDS v WARATAHS IN BRISBANE
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