The 2017 Super Rugby Draw has been released and launched with a couple of weeks of Thursday night football with the Rebels to host the first game of the season against the Blues on Thursday 23 February.
During the 17-round season, the five Australian Super Rugby teams – the Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels and Western Force – will each play six matches in the Australian conference and nine matches against teams in other conferences.
In the four-conference tournament structure, which follows the same 2016 format, each team will play 15 matches and have two byes.
During the season, seven Australian home games played at family-friendly afternoon time slots ensuring the game is more accessible to families.
Continuing Super Rugby’s foray into Asia, the competition will travel to Singapore for the first time in Round 2, when Japan’s Sunwolves take on the Southern Kings, and will return another two times in Round 5 and Round 13.
The 2017 Super Rugby finals series will start on 21 July with the final set for 5 August. A June Test window remains in the draw, to accommodate for international Tests, particularly the British & Irish Lions series in New Zealand.
The full draw is available HERE.
Waratahs Observations:
- Start with a Saturday night clash against the Force
- Get their South African tour over with early (round 2 & 3) taking on the Lions and Sharks.
- Sunday arvo footy against the Crusaders at Allianz
- Have the bye for the easter weekend
- Have home matches against the Jaguares and Kings and don’t play the Sunwolves.
- Don’t play the Reds at home this season.
Brumbies Observations:
- First game of the season is away to the Crusaders
- Don’t play the Waratahs at home this season
- Have the Highlanders at home in Round 5
- Are away to the Rebels over the Easter weekend.
- Travel to face the Hurricanes on the ANZAC weekend
- Take on the Kings and Jaguares in the road (Rnd 13 and 14)
Reds Observations:
- Open the season with a home match against the Sharks
- Face the Force on a Thursday night game in Round 2
- Home game v the Crusaders in Round 3
- Away trip is Lions and Jaguares (Rnd 4 and 5)
- Host the Kings on a Saturday arvo game in Round 8
- Clash v the Tahs at Suncorp in Round 10
Rebels Observations:
- Open the season with the Thursday evening clash against the Blues at home.
- Host the Chiefs and Tahs at home early in the season.
- Travel to South Africa to take on the Sharks and Kings
- Host the Crusaders and Jaguares at home in the last round of the season.
- Host the Lions in an arvo game in Round 11
Force Observations:
- Travel to Sydney for their first game of the season v the Tahs.
- First home game is a Thursday evening match against the Reds
- Face the Crusaders and Blues away from home on concurrent weekends.
- Host the Chiefs at home as part of the ANZAC weekend
- Have a Saturday arvo game against the Kings in Round 7
- Take on the Sharks and Kings on their South African tour
