Super Rugby Pacific to tweak Lucky Loser playoff concept in 2026
Friday, 8 August 2025
Super Rugby Pacific’s unpopular ‘Lucky Loser’ concept is set to return in 2026.
However, a tweak is likely when officials release the 2026 schedule in the middle of next week, one that’s sure to please Brumbies fans, in particular.
On the back of an off-season review into the playoff format, it’s understood the penalty for the Lucky Loser is set to be ramped up.
Introduced to the 11-team competition this year, the Lucky Loser tag is reserved for the highest-seeded team to lose during the six-team qualifying finals, ensuring a berth in the semifinals.
The only penalty? Dropping one seed.
But change is planned, with the Lucky Loser to head into the semis as the bottom seed from next year.
The top-seeded Chiefs utilised the Get out of Jail card this year, after the Blues upset them in the first round of the playoffs, dropping them to the second seed.
That sure lit a fire under some talking heads across the ditch, who found it absurd the third-seeded Brumbies, winners against the Hurricanes in the qualifying finals, still had to travel to Hamilton to face to the Chiefs in the semis.
The Chiefs triumphed, before travelling to Christchurch and suffering yet another finals defeat to the Crusaders, the new No 1 seed.
It’s understood the lack of a penalty for the Lucky Loser was a hot topic during the review, particularly given, using this year as an example, the Chiefs would still have hosted the final had the Crusaders lost their semifinal.
Even before the 2025 season concluded, Super Rugby chief executive Jack Mesley was receiving feedback regarding the Lucky Loser, prompting him to promise a review of the concept which drew criticism from the moment it was announced last year.
Super Rugby officials, who will on Monday confirm the Super Round will be played in Christchurch’s new indoor stadium during Anzac weekend, reviewed the playoff format as a whole, but Mesley made it clear in June there was a desire not to alienate fans already fatigued by multiple changes to Super Rugby over the years.
Speaking to Stuff in June, Mesley said the easiest change to make would be to increase the penalty for the Lucky Loser.
Officals looked at other possible changes, including awarding the top two teams first round byes, but have limited change to the aforementioned Lucky Loser.
“We will look at those things. Some of the things around it are yes, you want one and two to have an advantage. But how big of an advantage? This is a tough competition to win, you look at the track record of home finalists, is there too much advantage if you had a rest?” Mesley said in June.
“I think the other thing on the resting one and two, someone has a bye in round 16. So, possibly you could have two weeks off, which would be absolutely ridiculous.”