The Super Rugby Draw for 2016 has been released with a number of interesting match ups.
The season will kick off on Friday 26 February with three of last season’s four semi-finalists meeting in an opening night extravaganza.
The new Japanese team will play its historic first Super Rugby game against the Lions on Saturday afternoon February 27 in Tokyo.
The Grand Final rematch will occur in week 2 when the Highlanders host the Hurricanes.
Singapore to host matches between the Japanese team and the Cheetahs (Round 3), the Bulls (Round 5) and the Stormers (Round 12).
The identity of the Argentinean and Japanese-based sides will be formally unveiled their respective unions once the RWC is complete.
From an Aussie Rugby perspective:
- Brumbies and Hurricanes to kick off the 2016 season on Aussie soil in a replay of their 2015 semi-final clash on Super Rugby’s opening night.
- Australian Rugby’s oldest rivalry continues when the NSW Waratahs host the Queensland Reds in an opening-round blockbuster in Sydney.
- Western Force to begin their 2016 campaign at home to the Melbourne Rebels in another all-Aussie Round 1 battle in Perth.
- Rebels to make historic Round 4 visit to Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo to become the first Aussie opponents for the new Japanese team.
- Reds and Waratahs to square off again in an Easter Sunday showdown in Brisbane.
- Brumbies to host seven-time champions Crusaders in a special Sunday afternoon ANZAC weekend clash in Canberra.
The full draw can be downloaded HERE.
A quick snap shot of the draw from an Australian perspective is here:
