Live Super Rugby will be returning to our TV screens – and rugby fields in New Zealand – after New Zealand Rugby announced fixture details of their domestic competition to run this year.
Super Rugby Aoteroa will kick off on Saturday, June 13, with two games per weekend – one at 3:05pm (AEST) each Saturday, the other at 1:05pm each Sunday – played over a ten-week season contested between the five New Zealand franchises.
The June start date will give the sides four full weeks of training to get back up to speed after a two-month intermission.
The Highlanders and Chiefs will play the first match on the 13th, followed by the Blues and Hurricanes a day later. Handed a bye first up, the Crusaders will have to wait until Week 2 to get back onto the field.
Matches will be played at each side’s home ground, albeit behind closed doors until mass gatherings are allowed once again. The Mitre 10 Cup has also been given a start date, with the provincial competition to begin on September 11.
The news follows the announcement that the country will move to Level 2 lockdown restrictions this Thursday, the stage at which professional rugby and netball had been given the green light to resume by the New Zealand government.
“The thought of five world-class Kiwi teams battling it out in 20 matches over ten weeks should put a smile back on the faces of many people. I know our players are excited and I’m sure rugby fans will be as well,” NZR CEO Mark Robinson said.
“Medical and operational staff across NZR, the Players’ Association and the clubs have been working together to ensure we have detailed plans in place to protect the health and safety of everyone involved.”
The full Super Rugby season was cancelled in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has seen sport put on hold around the globe. With international travel bans scuppering any ideas of resuming the full competition between New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Japan, Rugby Australia is also poised to announce a domestic-only season, likely featuring the Western Force.
Aussieinexile
Roar Rookie
Well, NZ is hosting the World Cup Next Year. they need to get the women's game sorted as well. irrespective of same old argument of women's programs as an afterthought. it has always run as a loss because NZRU has never given the priority it deserves.
allblackfan
Guest
Okay! Colour me corrected! Did not know the origin of the word until just now otherwise I would not have used the plural form (quite a few Island languages have the rule as well including Fijian).
Ben
Guest
"The mako shark is found in waters throughout the world, but its name comes from here – a Māori word referring to both the shark and its teeth, with variations within New Zealand (mango in some dialects) and other Polynesian languages (mago in Samoan and mano in Hawaiian)".
Ben
Guest
No. It's the Maori name Mako. That's why nowhere will you find them called Tasman Makos, with an S. Look on their official website. Its Tasman Mako, because Mako is Maori and there's no S.
allblackfan
Guest
they're working on it, apparently.
allblackfan
Guest
And Donald Trump shouldn't be President but he is! :happy: In this case, the mako name is english, after the shark. Plural of hammerhead is hammerheads, great white is great whites et al. :happy:
Danny McGowan
Roar Rookie
They are working on a women's comp from what I have heard or seen on TV.
Danny McGowan
Roar Rookie
Yep Jokerman, and everytime the H/Canes lose I am taking us back in time until rught result is struck!!!
Jacko
Guest
Im hoping the team that has the bye sends its players back to club rugby for the weekend. That would be giving back to the rugby community
ScottD
Roar Guru
You would have to pay an extra 40 people to do that plus set up and travel costs. Not a viable option for a cash strapped rugby association.
Bluesfan
Personally would prefer an expanded ITM cup with games spread across Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Think the comp will become a boring after the first couple of weeks, much prefer the tribalism of ITM cup. And a great ITM Cup is also a good model to bring in the Oz teams maybe in 2021.
Ben
Guest
Here's hoping we get a full on NPC as well....complete with All Blacks. Now that would be something. Back to the good old days. Someone here mentioned them missing a trick without the women's comp starting. The reality of it all, whether anybody likes it or not, is in these financially challenging times for all Unions, the girls (in NZ) game does not pay any bills and has always run at a loss. They just cannot afford that. Just like the Heartland comp isn't going ahead.
Ben
Guest
Just on that note editors. Its spelt Aotearoa, not Aoteroa. Kind of like spelling it Austrlia.
Ben
Guest
Mako. There's no S in Maori.
Faith
Roar Rookie
The cream always rises to the top or takes it to the field not in boardrooms and the media. I can't wait.
Andy J
Roar Rookie
Agreed would love to watch it hoping kayo pick it up
Aussieinexile
Roar Rookie
This is great news but NZ has missed a trick here, No fixtures on the women's program or the farah palmer cup if they want to save next year's world cup.
pm
Roar Rookie
Good on 'em. Looking forward to an Oz, and I guess South African, equivalent soon.
Jokerman
Roar Guru
Coolz. Back to the future! “Wait a minute, Doc. Are you telling me you built a time machine…out of a DeLorean?” Oh…could this be the new beginning ?!
allblackfan
Guest
To be followed by the NPC! Let's go MAKOS!! :rugby: :happy: