Australian, NZ and Fiji players represented at the recent season launch. Photo: Super Rugby Pacific/Twitter (X)
More rule changes to ensure greater ‘play’ time will be in play when the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season starts tomorrow (Friday).
The competition kicks off when the Christchurch-based Crusaders host the Wellington-based Hurricanes in New Zealand before the NSW Waratahs host the Dunedin-based Highlanders in Sydney.
New rule changes sees the time taken for conversions reduced from 90 seconds to 60 seconds, more protection for the halfback at ruck, maul and scrum when clearing the ball and to let the play continue if a crooked lineout throw is uncontested.
Referees will be empowered to make decisions with limits to the intervention by television match officials (TMOs).
Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley says the changes are the result of a decision to tweak the rules.
“This consistency will no doubt help our match officials and give our fans a chance to follow the game more closely which we will be supporting with our new in-stadium graphics and use of referee audio,” he says.
Other games on Saturday are (host team named first): Drua (Fiji) vs Brumbies, Blues (Auckland) vs Chiefs (Hamilton) and Force (Perth) vs Moana Pasifika (Auckland). Reds (Qld) have the bye.
OTHER CHANGES
The competition will also feature an inaugural player of the year award to be decided by votes from team captains and head coaches.
A Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific has also been launched with a $10,000 grand prize.
Mesley says Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific is a milestone for the competition.
“All the fan feedback was telling us there was strong demand for a Fantasy product in Super Rugby Pacific so we are delighted to have delivered it for the 2025 season,” he says.
“We’re particularly excited about the unique gameplay elements called boosters, which can be used strategically to see players score huge points and teams race up the rankings.”
The premise of Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific is this: Handed a budget of $100 million, fans build a team of 15 players who each score Fantasy points based on on-field performance each week.
Fantasy points are awarded for positive play such as tries, conversions, tackles and offloads, and each Fantasy team’s nominated captain earns double points.
Three boosters are available for use during the season, which include the captain scoring triple points, getting to pick two captains and having an unlimited budget for one week to select the ultimate dream team.
There will also be private and public leagues and a global leaderboard.
Team line-ups and fixtures for round one: Super Rugby Pacific 2025 round one
