New franchises Western Force and Central Cheetahs have received home games in the opening round of next season’s expanded Super 14 provincial rugby series, which starts next February.
In the draw, released on Wednesday by Sanzar, the board representing the South African, New Zealand and Australian rugby unions, the Perth-based Force will have an all-Australian match against the ACT Brumbies on February 10.
On the same night in Bloemfontein, the Cheetahs will get their first taste of Super 14 action against the Northern Bulls.
Defending champions Canterbury Crusaders have an opening-round home game against the Otago Highlanders on February 11, and last season’s beaten finalists, New South Wales (NSW) Waratahs, have a cross-border derby with Queensland Reds in Brisbane on the same night.
In other first-round matches, the Auckland Blues kick off the tournament against the Wellington Hurricanes, the Golden Cats take on the Western Stormers in Johannesburg and the Coastal Sharks host the Waikato Chiefs in Durban.
There will be 14 rounds of games, with the semifinals on the weekend of May 19 and 20 and the final on May 27.
From an Australian perspective, Australian Rugby Union CEO Gary Flowers said: ”Packed houses in Perth and Brisbane could not provide a better backdrop to the new competition.
”The four Australian teams going at each other in the opening round is just the perfect start.
”NSW and Queensland renew a rugby rivalry that goes back to 1882, while our newest team, the Western Force, pit themselves against the most successful Australian team of the past 10 years, the Brumbies.” — Sapa-AFP