Following a string of social media teasers from all the clubs, the full 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season draw is set for release this Thursday, 28 August.<\/p>\n
However, fans are already set for a taste of what is to come with a confirmed blockbuster opening round filled with local derbies.<\/p>\n
Trans-Tasman derbies are set for a shake-up in the 2026 draw, with the Queensland Reds hosting the Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium on April 11, ending a three-year run of away games against the perennial powerhouse.<\/p>\n
In addition, the ACT Brumbies will also welcome the Blues to Canberra on February 28, the first time the Auckland-based side have played at GIO Stadium since 2022.<\/p>\n
The confirmed fixtures follows news that Super Round will return in 2026, launching the new home of the Crusaders at One New Zealand in Christchurch.<\/p>\n
The defending champions will kick off their 2026 season with a classic South Island derby clash, as they head to Dunedin to face the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium.<\/p>\n
Last year’s runners up, the Chiefs, will also start their season on the road as they head to Auckland to face the Blues.<\/p>\n
Across the ditch, Aussie fans will be treated to a spectacular opening weekend with local derbies confirmed for successive February nights.<\/p>\n
The NSW Waratahs will host the Queensland Reds at Allianz Stadium on Friday 13 February, before the Western Force welcome the ACT Brumbies to HBF Park on Saturday 14 February.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Waratahs coach Dan McKellar welcomed the push for early season derbies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s good for the competition that we’re starting with a game of such significance,\u201d McKellar said.<\/p>\n
\u201cRound 1 \u2026 New South Wales versus Queensland. I don’t think it gets any bigger than that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a rivalry that goes back more than a hundred years [to 1882], and one that the fans will get excited about in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Force-Brumbies game holds particular significance with the West Australian club’s first-ever competition clash in 2006 coming against their ACT rivals.<\/p>\n
Finally, one of the newest derbies in the competition is also set to re-ignite in the Pacific, as\u00a02025 wooden spooners Fijian Drua will host Moana Pasifika in Lautoka to open their 2026 campaign.<\/p>\n
2026 SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC – ROUND 1 FIXTURES<\/p>\n
Highlanders v Crusaders – Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin – 7.05pm (local) Friday 13 February<\/p>\n
NSW Waratahs v Queensland Reds – Allianz Stadium, Sydney – 7.35pm (local) Friday 13 February<\/p>\n
Fijian Drua v Moana Pasifika – Churchill Park, Lautoka – 3.35pm (local) Saturday 14 February<\/p>\n
Blues v Chiefs – TBC, Auckland – 7.05pm (local) Saturday 14 February<\/p>\n
Western Force v ACT Brumbies – 4.35pm (local) Saturday 14 February<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Following a string of social media teasers from all the clubs, the full 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":96353,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":["post-96352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-rugby","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}