The newly devised Super Rugby Pacific competition, which features a bloated eight-team playoffs series, has been confirmed with a 15-week regular season.
The 2022 season will be historic for rugby in the Pacific region with the introduction of the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika, who will join New Zealand’s five clubs and Australia’s five clubs in a 12-team tournament.
Delivered by the joint-venture partnership between NZR and RA, Super Rugby Pacific will kick off on 18 February 2022 with an eight-team playoff series culminating in a final on 18 June.
Features of the Super Rugby Pacific competition structure are:
- 12 teams (in alphabetical order): the Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs, Crusaders, Fijian Drua, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Melbourne Rebels, Moana Pasifika, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds and Western Force
- Teams will play 14 regular-season matches with each team to host seven matches
- Teams will play eight teams once and three teams twice with an emphasis on derby matches
- There will be one points table with teams ranked one to 12 based on competition points
- The top-eight teams on the points table will qualify for a three-week playoff format
- Quarter-finals will be – 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5 with the top-ranked team playing at home
- Top-ranked quarter-final winners will host the semi-finals, and top-ranked winner of the semi-finals will host the final
- 18-week season all completed prior to the July international window.
The Super Rugby Pacific draw will be announced in coming weeks.
