Rugby Australia has taken significant steps to address a five-year gap in its domestic rugby calendar by announcing a quick-fire Super Rugby AUS tournament. The competition will include the ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, and Western Force, who will compete against each other over three rounds in September. The two leading teams will then face off in a grand final scheduled for October 5.
In conjunction with this, a national under-19 competition will run alongside the Super Rugby AUS tournament, featuring multiple double-header matches. This initiative comes five years after the cancellation of the second-tier National Rugby Championship, which was dissolved amid cost-cutting measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. This previous league was instrumental in developing talents such as Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight, along with coaches like Brad Thorn, who later made their mark in Super Rugby.
Rugby Australia’s high-performance boss, Ben Whitaker, emphasized the organization’s commitment to increasing meaningful playing opportunities for both players and coaching staff. He noted that the introduction of the Super Rugby AUS tournament would help mitigate the lack of domestic competitive platforms, particularly as players not involved with the Wallabies often experience lengthy gaps between high-level games, especially as club finals commence in August.
While specific venues and kick-off times for the Super Rugby AUS matches are yet to be confirmed, this tournament represents a proactive measure to rejuvenate domestic rugby competition in Australia.
The announcement is a hopeful indication of Rugby Australia’s continued efforts to support player development and enhance fan engagement through regular, competitive fixtures. With the backing of a structured tournament format, rugby enthusiasts can look forward to more local action as the sport seeks to regain momentum.
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