Home > International > Rugby > Superxv Rugby

International Rugby

 

 

 

 

Super Rugby website: http://www.sanzarrugby.com

 

 

 

 

AUSSIE RIVALRIES SET TO INTENSIFY AS HOME AND AWAY DERBIES RETURN TO VODAFONE SUPER RUGBY IN 2018

21/09/2017
 
 

AUSSIE RIVALRIES SET TO INTENSIFY AS HOME AND AWAY DERBIES RETURN TO VODAFONE SUPER RUGBY IN 2018

SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
SANZAAR has today released the 2018 Vodafone Super Rugby season draw which features the return of home and away ‘derbies’ for the first time in three years.

Under the new 15-team format for 2018, each Australian team will face off with each of their Australian Conference rivals at home and away, intensifying the battle for the all-important Australian Conference title which offers a guaranteed finals berth.

Four Australian teams – New South Wales Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels and the Brumbies, will be joined by the Sunwolves of Japan in the five-team Australian Conference.

The 2018 season will officially kick off on February 17 in South Africa, however all eyes will be on AAMI Park the following week when the Rebels host the Reds in the first Aussie showdown on Friday, February 23.

The following day, 2017 Australian Conference champions the Brumbies meet new Conference rivals the Sunwolves in Tokyo, before the Waratahs take on South Africa’s Stormers at Allianz Stadium.

The rest of the draw is littered with highlights, including a bumper Easter weekend featuring a Good Friday clash between the Rebels and Hurricanes at AAMI Park and an Easter Saturdayblockbuster between the Brumbies and Waratahs at GIO Stadium.

A fortnight later, in Week 9, Australian teams will feature in a “Super Saturday” triple-header which culminates in the traditional rivalry between the Waratahs and Reds on Saturday, April 14.

Week 11 falls on the weekend following ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand and the feature match of the round sees the Brumbies tackle the defending champion Crusaders at GIO Stadium on Saturday, April 28. Earlier that day, Queensland host 2017 Finalists the Lions in an afternoon clash at Suncorp Stadium.

In another great development for Australian Rugby fans, only four matches involving Australian teams will kick off between the hours of midnight and 3:30am Australian (eastern) time throughout the course of the season.

ARU CEO Bill Pulver said: “Super Rugby in 2018 will reignite the local rivalries here in Australia with home and away derbies returning and fans will be treated to more matches in better timeslots, so this new competition format is a big win for Rugby fans in Australia.

“The Brumbies are the defending Australian Conference champions but they will face a stern challenge from all other Australian teams after a busy off-season across the country.

“Once again it’s going to be an incredibly close race to the finish and we are all hoping to see one of our Australian teams on the podium holding aloft that trophy come the first weekend in August.”

Vodafone Super Rugby will once again feature an eight-team, seven-match Finals Series which kicks off on the weekend of July 21-22. The new champion will be crowned after the Vodafone Super Rugby Final on the weekend of August 4-5.

Vodafone Consumer Business Unit Director Ben McIntosh said: “With local derbies making a comeback, we’re more excited than ever to be involved with Vodafone Super Rugby for a second season. From the field to the small screen, we can’t wait for kick-off in 2018.”

FOX SPORTS will be home to the 2018 Vodafone Super Rugby season with LIVE, ad-break free during play and HD coverage of every match spearheaded by a commentary team of former Wallabies and Rugby experts.

2018 Vodafone Super Rugby Season Draw (Australian teams only, all times SYDNEY)

Week 1
No matches involving Australian teams (matches in South Africa Conference only)
 
Week 2
Rebels v Reds 23 Feb Fri 7:45pm AAMI Park, Melbourne
Sunwolves v Brumbies 24 Feb Sat 3:15pm Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
Waratahs v Stormers 24 Feb Sat 7:45pm Allianz Stadium, Sydney
 
Week 3
Reds v Brumbies 2 Mar Fri 8:00pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (7:00pm local)
Sunwolves v Rebels 3 Mar Sat 8:00pm Singapore National Stadium, Singapore
Sharks v Waratahs 4 Mar Sun 12:05am Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban
 
Week 4
Rebels v Brumbies 9 Mar Fri 7:45pm AAMI Park, Melbourne
Reds v Bulls 10 Mar Sat 7:45pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (6:45pm local)
Jaguares v Waratahs 11 Mar Sun 8:40am Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
 
Week 5
Brumbies v Sharks 17 Mar Sat 7:45pm GIO Stadium, Canberra
Jaguares v Reds 18 Mar Sun 8:40am Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Waratahs v Rebels 18 Mar Sun 4:05pm Allianz Stadium, Sydney
 
Week 6
Rebels v Sharks 23 Mar Fri 7:45pm AAMI Park, Melbourne
Stormers v Reds 25 Mar Sun 2:15am DHL Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Brumbies, Waratahs bye
 
Week 7 (EASTER)
Rebels v Hurricanes 30 Mar Fri 7:45pm AAMI Park, Melbourne (Good Friday)
Brumbies v Waratahs 31 Mar Sat 7:45pm GIO Stadium, Canberra (Easter Saturday)
Reds bye
 
Week 8
Sunwolves v Waratahs 7 Apr Sat 3:15pm Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
Brumbies v Reds 7 Apr Sat 7:45pm GIO Stadium, Canberra
Rebels bye
 
Week 9
Rebels v Jaguares 14 Apr Sat 3:15pm AAMI Park, Melbourne
Highlanders v Brumbies 14 Apr Sat 5:35pm venue TBC
Waratahs v Reds 14 Apr Sat 7:45pm venue TBC
 
Week 10
Waratahs v Lions 20 Apr Fri 7:45pm Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Reds v Chiefs 21 Apr Sat 7:45pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Bulls v Rebels 21 Apr Sat 11:05pm Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Brumbies v Jaguares 22 Apr Sun 4:05pm GIO Stadium, Canberra
 
Week 11 (ANZAC)
Stormers v Rebels 28 Apr Sat 3:10am DHL Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Reds v Lions 28 Apr Sat 3:05pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Brumbies v Crusaders 28 Apr Sat 7:45pm GIO Stadium, Canberra
Waratahs bye
 
Week 12
Rebels v Crusaders 4 May Fri 7:45pm AAMI Park, Melbourne
Waratahs v Blues 5 May Sat 3:05pm venue TBC
Brumbies, Reds bye
 
Week 13
Sunwolves v Reds 12 May Sat 1:05pm Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
Crusaders v Waratahs 12 May Sat 3:15pm venue TBC
Brumbies v Rebels 12 May Sat 7:45pm GIO Stadium, Canberra
 
Week 14
Hurricanes v Reds 18 May Fri 5:35pm venue TBC
Waratahs v Highlanders 19 May Sat 7:45pm Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Lions v Brumbies 20 May Sun 1:15am Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Rebels bye
 
Week 15
Rebels v Sunwolves 25 May Fri 7:45pm AAMI Park, Melbourne
Chiefs v Waratahs 26 May Sat 5:35pm venue TBC
Reds v Highlanders 26 May Sat 7:45pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Bulls v Brumbies 26 May Sat 11:05pm Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
 
Week 16
Blues v Rebels 2 Jun Sat 3:15pm venue TBC
Reds v Waratahs 2 Jun Sat 7:45pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Brumbies v Sunwolves 3 Jun Sun 4:05pm GIO Stadium, Canberra
 
Week 17
Blues v Reds 29 June Fri 5:35pm venue TBC
Rebels v Waratahs 29 Jun Fri 7:45pm AAMI Park, Melbourne
Brumbies v Hurricanes 30 Jun Sat 7:45pm GIO Stadium, Canberra
 
Week 18
Reds v Rebels 6 Jul Fri 7:45pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Chiefs v Brumbies 7 Jul Sat 3:15pm venue TBC
Waratahs v Sunwolves 7 Jul Sat 7:45pm Allianz Stadium, Sydney
 
Week 19
Reds v Sunwolves 13 Jul Fri 7:45pm Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Highlanders v Rebels 14 Jul Sat 3:15pm venue TBC
Waratahs v Brumbies 14 Jul Sat 7:45pm Allianz Stadium, Sydney
 
Vodafone Super Rugby Finals Series
Qualifiers
Sat 21 Jul
 
Semi Finals
Sat 28 Jul
 
Final
Sat 4 Aug
 
Click here to go to the full 2018 Vodafone Super Rugby Season Draw
 
 
 

Share this article

Comments:
Be the first to comment!
Login to post comments.