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Brumbies v Chiefs (Getty Images)
Australia Y New Zealand It will play a cross-border Super Rugby competition next year with five teams from each country, they announced on Friday after settling a bitter dispute over what the sport would look like after the pandemic.
The event, called Super Rugby Trans-Tasmanwill see 26 games over six weeks starting May 14, which will begin after each country completes a national tournament in what was described as “a truly historic day for rugby in the southern hemisphere.”
It comes after the two nations disagreed on how many Australian teams would participate. New Zealand Rugby initially suggested two to four, but this angered Rugby Australia, who insisted that all five franchises must participate.
“It has been a testing moment for rugby in both countries, but also an opportunity to reinvent the game in our part of the world by 2021,” said NZR chief Mark Robinson.
“The result is an exciting and innovative new competition, which will benefit fans, players, broadcasters and Super Clubs.”
The decision to move forward follows South Africa’s decision that its four Super Rugby teams, the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, seek entry into an expanded PRO14 tournament in Europe.
Those franchises were part of the Southern Hemisphere tournament until this year’s coronavirus pandemic ended the competition in its five-nation, 15-team format.
With the borders closed, Australia and New Zealand held national events, which were successful and will continue next year before the trans-Tasmania final.
“This is a truly historic day for rugby in the southern hemisphere, with Australia and New Zealand’s first ever Super Rugby competition,” said Acting RA Chief Rob Clarke.
“This will generate enormous enthusiasm in both countries.”
There have been suggestions that the Australia-New Zealand competition could be expanded to 12 teams in 2022 to include Pacific franchises, but this remains to be seen.
With South Africa eyeing Europe and Japan’s Sunwolves on the scrap, Argentina’s Jaguars have been left out, with their future uncertain.
Australia’s national AU Super Rugby will kick off on February 19 when the Reds take on the Waratahs and the Western Force take on the defending champions the Brumbies before culminating in a grand final on May 8.
New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aotearoa begins a week later when the Highlanders face off against the defending champions, the Crusaders, before its climax on May 8.
The trans-Tasman event is scheduled to begin a week later with the final on June 19 in the top two on the scale.
2021 Trans-Tasman Super Rugby Draw (subject to change):
Round 1 (May 14-15)
Crusaders vs. Brumbies; Western Force vs. Chiefs; Melbourne Rebels v Blues; Highlanders vs. Queensland Reds; NSW Waratahs v Hurricanes
Round 2 (May 21-22)
Chiefs vs. Brumbies; Western force against mountaineers; Hurricanes vs. Melbourne Rebels; Queensland Reds vs. Crusaders; Blues v NSW Waratahs
Round 3 – (May 28-29)
Blues against Brumbies; Hurricanes vs. Western Force; Melbourne Rebels vs. Highlanders; Queensland Reds vs. Chiefs; NSW Waratahs v Crusaders
Round 4 (June 4-5)
Brumbies v Hurricanes; Crusaders vs. Western Force; Chiefs vs. Melbourne Rebels, Queensland Reds vs. Blues; Highlanders v NSW Waratahs
Round 5 (June 11-12)
Brumbies vs. Highlanders; Blues against Western Force; Melbourne Rebels v Crusaders; Hurricanes vs. Queensland Reds; NSW Waratahs v Chiefs
Final
Saturday June 19
