Super Rugby Pacific 2026: Season Kicks Off Friday with Highlanders vs Crusaders

Super Rugby Pacific is back. Friday evening. Highlanders host the Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. The 2026 season is live. Five Round 1 matches across the opening weekend. Hurricanes on the bye.

Round 1 Fixtures

Friday, February 13:

• Highlanders v Crusaders — Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (5:05pm AEDT)
• Waratahs v Queensland Reds — Sydney

Saturday, February 14:

• Fijian Drua v Moana Pasifika — Suva
• Blues v Chiefs — New Zealand
• Western Force v ACT Brumbies — Perth

Bye: Hurricanes

Australian Teams’ Outlook

Immediate derbies and rivalries from Round 1. The Waratahs hosting the Reds on Friday night in Sydney — one of Australian rugby’s great interstate rivalries. The Western Force take on the ACT Brumbies in Perth on Saturday.

The 2026 season features 11 teams in a 14-match round-robin format. Top eight qualify for the finals series. Grand Final scheduled for June 27.

Key Storylines This Season

The Crusaders are chasing a record-extending 14th Super Rugby title. In the Australian conference, the Brumbies finished as the highest-ranked Australian side in 2025, reaching the semifinals. The Waratahs invested heavily in recruitment over the off-season and are expected to push for a top-four finish after missing the finals in 2025.

The Fijian Drua continue to build their reputation as one of the most entertaining sides in the competition. Their home advantage in Suva, where temperatures regularly exceed 30 degrees, remains one of the toughest away assignments in rugby.

Broadcast Details

All Super Rugby Pacific matches are broadcast live in Australia on Stan Sport. Friday night’s Highlanders-Crusaders opener starts at 5:05pm AEDT. Saturday fixtures stagger across the afternoon and evening. The competition’s 14-round regular season runs through to the end of May before the finals series in June.

Follow all rugby union action on the Rugby Union Hub.

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LF — Breaking news correspondent, australiafootball.com