The upcoming season of Super Rugby Pacific will see significant changes, including an extended 16-round regular season, Sunday afternoon matches, and a revamped six-team finals system.
The 2025 season is set to kick off on Friday, February 14, a week earlier than in previous seasons, allowing for the extra round of competition. The schedule will feature family-friendly afternoon matches, with three Sunday games planned, and there may be an increase in Sunday fixtures in the future.
Key elements of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition format include:
– Participation from 11 teams: ACT Brumbies, Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Fijian Drua, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Moana Pasifika, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, and Western Force.
– Each team will play 14 regular season matches, comprising seven home and seven away games, along with two bye weeks.
– Teams will face four rivals twice, while playing the remaining six teams just once.
– The top six teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the three-week Finals Series.
– In the first week of the Finals Series, matches will feature the top seed versus the sixth seed, the second seed versus the fifth, and the third versus the fourth, with higher-seeded teams hosting.
– Winners of the Qualifying Finals will advance to the Semi-Finals, joined by the highest-seeded losing team, termed the ‘lucky loser,’ who will drop one seed for the Semi-Final bracket.
– The Semi-Finals will pit the first seed against the fourth and the second seed against the third, once again with the higher seeds hosting.
– The winners from the Semi-Finals will compete in the Grand Final, hosted by the higher seeded team.
Jack Mesley, CEO of Super Rugby Pacific, expressed enthusiasm about the new structure, emphasizing that the adjustments prioritize fan experience and competitive balance. He highlighted the importance of family engagement with the addition of Sunday fixtures and the competitive nature of the updated Finals Series.