A new format for Super Rugby Pacific has been confirmed for the 2025 season and it promises more derby action for the Crusaders than we’ve ever seen before.
The competition now includes 11 teams, all playing 14 regular season matches – seven home and seven away. There’ll be two bye weeks for all teams making for a total of 16 rounds.
We’ll play each Kiwi team twice and all other teams once. This is a huge step up for local rivalries and we can’t wait to meet our brothers on the field for some massive clashes.
Also introduced are three Sunday afternoon fixtures, aimed at putting the fans and families first.
Ok so playoffs – things are a bit different.
There’ll be a three-week Qualifying Finals period involving the top six seeded teams on the overall competition ladder. The three winners will go through as well as the highest ranked loser.
The Semi Final and Grand Final format remains the same.
Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley said:
“We’re thrilled to reveal the revamped structure, some new features and the start date for the next season of Super Rugby Pacific.
“The fans are always front of mind and while the full draw will be released soon, we wanted to give them an early insight into what they can look forward to in 2025.
“The introduction of three Sunday afternoon fixtures will make it easier for families to experience the excitement of the Super Rugby Pacific, and we can look to build on that offering in future seasons.
“We’re particularly excited about the new Finals Series, which is designed to produce highly competitive matchups while still rewarding the teams that finish at the top of the table.”
A bit like a good card game, it’ll make sense once you start playing. Check out the video for more of an explainer.