Super Rugby in 2021 will comprise three competitions in Australia and New Zealand: first the separate Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Aotearoa, before Super Rugby Trans-Tasman. Here are the full fixture and draws for both tournaments. Super Rugby AU will kick off on February 19 and Super Rugby online tv run through to early May. While Super Rugby Aotearoa will start a week later, the New Zealand competition has just one week of finals rather than the two used in Australia, so both will have ten rounds of the regular season and the finals on Saturday, May 8. With five teams in each tournament, one side will have a bye each round. Super Rugby Trans-Tasman will begin the week after the conclusion of the two domestic competitions, and run for six weeks: five rounds where each Australian side plays each New Zealand franchise and vice-versa, before the final between the top two teams on June 19.
All Super Rugby games in 2021 can be streamed in Australia via Stan Sport, while the season opener, both finals and all Saturday night games in the Australian competition will be shown live and free on Channel Nine. Super Rugby Trans-Tasman will have a similar broadcast arrangement as the AU competition: every match on Stan, and one fixture per week shown on free-to-air TV on the Nine Network. Please note that all times below are in Sydney/Melbourne time, and that “Broadcast” refers to the Australian broadcaster.The Highlanders and Crusaders will be at home in Round 1 with the Hurricanes, Blues and Chiefs heading across the Tasman for the start of a tournament that will see New Zealand’s five Super Rugby clubs square off against the Reds, Waratahs, Brumbies, Rebels and Force.
All 25 regular season matches will be live and exclusive on Sky including weekly Friday night double-headers at 7.05pm and 9.45pm and three matches every Saturday. The final between the two top-placed teams on the combined competition table is scheduled for Saturday, 19 June. Click HERE for the full draw. The draw also includes two family-friendly 4.35pm afternoon matches in New Zealand with the Blues hosting the Waratahs at Eden Park in Round 2, and the Chiefs playing the Rebels at FMG Stadium Waikato in Round 4. As previously announced, Round 3 will feature a Super Round with all matches being played at one venue. NZR and Rugby Australia will announce venues and other details for the Super Round in due course.
NZR General Manager Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum said it was great to have certainty around venue and kick off times heading into Christmas. “When you see the weekly match ups you realise how compelling the competition will be and I think it’s something that will capture the imagination of fans and players on both sides of the Tasman. “We’ll get a chance to see all the teams in action in Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU and there will be a lot of intrigue in how they measure up to each other when Sky Super Rugby Trans-Tasman kicks off.” Tex Teixeira, Sky Chief Content Officer said: “Sky is rugby’s number one fan and we’re grateful to be alongside the team putting together a competition we know will be keenly appreciated by New Zealanders. Following on from Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa and, all things going to plan, having international fixtures for the All Blacks and domestic competitions as well, the calendar is looking very impressive.”
The full fixture for next year's trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition has been unveiled with the Waratahs to kick off their season at home to the Hurricanes on May 14 at a venue to be confirmed. The 26-game tournament will see each of the 10 teams play two home and two away matches, with the location of the Super Round - in which all teams will play in one location Super Rugby watch on the weekend of May 29 - also yet to be announced.The tournament opens with the Highlanders hosting the Reds in Dunedin at 5.05pm on Friday, May 14 before the Waratahs face the Hurricanes a few hours later. The Crusaders and Brumbies, Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU champions respectively, kick off a triple-header the following day in what could be an early preview of the June 19 final before the Rebels host the Blues and the Western Force face the Chiefs.
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