Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021

2021 Season Hospitality Packages

The Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021 schedule has been revealed and it has one major change from last year's successful tournament - a final.

The 2020 edition was robbed of a completed schedule when the second Covid-19 lockdown saw the final match between the Blues and Crusaders at Eden Park cancelled.

The Crusaders had already locked away the new trophy the previous weekend with a victory over the Highlanders. Next season's tournament will see the top two sides meet to decide the champions.

2021 will kick off with an old fashioned southern derby in a return to Friday night football.

The schedule for the second installment of the domestic competition has been announced, with 10 weeks of New Zealand derbies beginning on Friday February 26, with the Highlanders hosting the Crusaders in Dunedin.

The first round will finish with the Hurricanes entertaining the Blues in Wellington on Saturday February 27, while the Chiefs enjoy the bye in the opening week.

The Waikato franchise will begin their campaign in round two against the Highlanders in Hamilton.

Blues fans will have to wait a bit before they get to see action, with the Blues' first home game at Eden Park coming in round three against the Highlanders.

There is a mixture of matches spread across all three weekend days, maintaining the popular Sunday afternoon clashes that returned in 2020.

The final between the top two sides after 10 weeks will take place on Saturday, May 8, contending the Tū Kōtahi Aotearoa trophy.

Next year's competition will build on the foundation of the 2020 tournament laid. We saw how exciting this home and away format was ... all five teams now know what's required to compete and win every week. With the availability of the All Blacks locked in for round one there are going to be fireworks from the opening whistle.

With four consecutive titles under their belt, the Crusaders are set to enter the competition as favourites once again.

NZ Rugby is also working closely with Rugby Australia over trans-Tasman matches between respective Super Rugby sides at the end of the tournament, and more details will be released shortly.

Super Rugby Aotearoa fact sheet:

• 2021 will be the second edition of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
• Sky is the new Super Rugby Aotearoa naming rights sponsor
• There will be 20 round robin matches with each team playing each other twice on a home and away basis.
• The 2021 season will include the addition of a 1 v 2 Final to decide the champion.
• The Crusaders are the defending champions after finishing first at the end of a round robin tournament in 2020, six points ahead of the Blues.
• The Super Rugby Aotearoa trophy is called Tū Kōtahi Aotearoa (Stand As One New Zealand) and was created by Wellington carver Bill Doyle.

Sky Super Rugby Trans-Tasman:

After the Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021 NZ competition concludes, there will be a Sky Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Competition which will feature 10 Super Rugby clubs, five from New Zealand and five from Australia, playing 25 matches over five weeks before a Final on Saturday 19 June. All 26 matches will be live and exclusive on Sky.

The Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders will play five matches against the Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels and Western Force including two home matches each in New Zealand.

All teams will also play two away matches, while their fifth will be part of a ‘Super Round' featuring all Round 3 matches being played at one location, over one weekend.

The Final will be played between the top two teams after the five weeks of matches on the combined competition ladder with the team who finished first earning home advantage for the decider.

2021 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman draw:

Round One (May 14-15)

Crusaders v Brumbies, Western Force v Chiefs, Melbourne Rebels v Blues, Highlanders v Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs v Hurricanes

Round Two (May 21-22)

Chiefs v Brumbies, Western Force v Highlanders, Hurricanes v Melbourne Rebels, Queensland Reds v Crusaders, Blues v NSW Waratahs

Round Three - Super Round (May 28-29)

Blues v Brumbies, Hurricanes v Western Force, Melbourne Rebels v Highlanders, Queensland Reds v Chiefs, NSW Waratahs v Crusaders

Round Four (June 4-5)

Brumbies v Hurricanes, Crusaders v Western Force, Chiefs v Melbourne Rebels, Queensland Reds v Blues, Highlanders v NSW Waratahs

Round Five (June 11-12)

Brumbies v Highlanders, Blues v Western Force, Melbourne Rebels v Crusaders, Hurricanes v Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs v Chiefs

Final (Saturday, June 19)

 

Experience Group are delighted to announce a variety of hospitality packages at all the stadiums across a variety of Super Rugby franchises for 2021.

For further enquiries for all your hospitality needs contact:

North Island - Bryan Donnelly - bryand@experiencegroup.co.nz or 021 848 411

South Island - Mike Owens - mikeo@experiencegroup.co.nz or 021 689 142