Rugby Australia have confirmed that both matches in the final round of the Super Rugby AU season will be played on the same day.
Check out the full Super Rugby fixtures here
The final round of Super Rugby AU has been dubbed “Super Saturday” with back-to-back matches now set to decide which teams will advance to the finals.
Rugby Australia announced it had shifted the Melbourne Rebels’ clash with the Western Force at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle – originally scheduled for September 4 – to Saturday, September 5 at 5.05pm.
Immediately following that match, the Queensland Reds and the Brumbies will clash at Suncorp Stadium at 7.15pm.
It means the two sides that will play off in the qualifying final will have the same number of day’s preparation time.
The NSW Waratahs have a final round bye.
There are just four points separating first and fourth on the Super Rugby AU table with the Brumbies leading with only three rounds left to play.
The second-placed side at the end of the regular season will host the third-placed team in a qualifying final on Saturday, September 12.
The September 19 final will be hosted by the team that finishes on top of the ladder against the winner of the qualifying final.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Got the tin foil hat on today mate? Love how this is all set up for a team that is every chance of missing the finals. No way it could be to ensure as much fairness as possible across Brumbies, Reds and Rebels who remain the favourites to fill the top three spots. Everything is rigged in favour of the Tahs, that's why they'll only be operating on 80% of the salary cap next year while teams like the Rebels are planning to use the full amount. That's why when the Force got kicked out by Fox, SA and NZ it was the Tahs that all their players and coaches signed for, oh hang on - that isn't what happened is it? But everything is certainly rigged for NSW's success - that's why a team that used to be one of the greatest in the world, that has a record against the Boks and AB's that some nations would kill for is now a basket case. I know it upsets you that WA products like Tizzano and McDonald signed with the Tahs when the Force were out of Super and I'm guessing that Welborn had to travel to get his opportunity back in the day rankles as well. Have you looked at all, at how many NSW players are playing for teams other than the Tahs, including the Force? Certainly doesn't really feel that things are rigged in the Tahs favour. Have a look at what you are claiming anyway, did the Tahs final round bye suddenly happen and they went - hey look at how this has worked out, we can make things fairer for the teams playing now. Yep, all rigged for the team predicted to finish 4th by all and sundry.
Ex force fan
Guest
This is too much....play games on the same day so that all teams have the same number of days to prepare for the final....but not the Tahs that have a perfectly timed bye. Suddenly RA is concerned about how fair the fixtures are, however the fixtures favoured the Tahs from Day 1. Hypocrites.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No its the same. But do we get many viewers watching the second game because they've already watched the first? I mean that because it's not scheduled to be a double header. It's scheduled to be in prime TV time for the local market, and any consideration for the double header seems to be to avoid a clash.
ScottD
Roar Guru
Seems sensible
Brett McKay
Expert
It's not too different to the standard NZ-AU double headers that rugby fans have known about and tuned into for years, though, TWAS?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I suspect there are more people who watch 1 AFL or NRL game per day than there are who watch multiple. Maybe I'm wrong.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
You're kidding right? Those people exist! I'll personally go from Shute Shield to the 5:05pm game and finish it off with the 7:05pm game. The perfect Saturday.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Personally I don't like it. One of the appeals of the BBL is it makes a game that takes up a lot of time much easier to consume. To me a double header turns off the people that don't wan't to spend 4 hours watching rugby in one day.
Brett McKay
Expert
Makes sense. Would also help build the final round narrative around who needs to do what to qualify...