Super Rugby Pacific set to green-light ‘super round’ for Christchurch’s Te Kaha stadium
Thursday, 7 August 2025
Super Rugby Pacific is poised to confirm a spectacular Anzac weekend debut for Christchurch’s new roofed stadium, with the revived “super round” set to be the first major event staged at the state-of-the-art facility.
The Press understands that Super Rugby Pacific officials are readying to announce the 2026 season draw as soon as next week, with just final details in the process of being confirmed. The feature of that unveiling will be confirmation that the reinstated “super round” will head to Christchurch over Anzac weekend to become the first major sporting event staged at the city’s new Te Kaha stadium.
Super round would see 10 of the competition’s 11 teams all gather in Christchurch for the Anzac weekend showcase and play five matches in the new venue, officially dubbed One New Zealand Stadium.
The “super round” was last held in Melbourne in 2024, but was not reinstituted this year following the withdrawal of the Rebels from the competition.
Super Rugby Pacific chief executive Jack Mesley teased the prospect of the super round coming to Christchurch a few months back when he revealed talks with the new Christchurch stadium were taking place.
Mesley was unavailable to speak to The Press when approached on Wednesday.
It is understood that competition officials have now all but signed off on the round being staged at Te Kaha, which they view as the ideal way to introduce the spectacular new facility to the rugby world in general, and Super Rugby Pacific specifically. A well-placed source indicated that the plan was “95%” nailed down.
The major concerns over the arrangement have involved the tight turnaround time, with the “super round” to be staged just days after the stadium’s expected completion date of April 20. Anzac weekend falls from April 24-26.
It is understood any fears that the stadium might not be ready for the Anzac spectacular have been assuaged enough to press ahead.
The defending champion Crusaders will play their home Super Rugby Pacific games at their current venue of Apollo Projects Stadium in Addington until the new venue is ready to come online.
The 13-time Super Rugby champs have occupied the makeshift stadium since the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 made the city’s main rugby venue, originally known as Lancaster Park, unusable.
Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare told The Press in June there was a 90-day launch event series in development for the new stadium, which would include major sporting, entertainment, community and corporate events.
A number of test events would also be held in the leadup to the stadium’s practical completion date of April 20, she said. Turf health was a key factor in how events would be scheduled.
The $683 million new stadium will have a seating capacity of 30,000 for sports events and can hold a minimum 36,000 spectators for large music concerts.
Meanwhile, Super Rugby Pacific still has work to do as it eyes expansion into at least a 12-team competition in the near future.
Sources indicate the competition has no firm plans in place yet regarding a team to replace the Melbourne Rebels who were dropped after the 2024 season. The Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika franchises were added in 2022.
It is understood Japan has been all but ruled out as a potential expansion site, with that country fully committed to its own growing professional competition.
Argentina, previously represented by the Jaguares, remains on the outer, with logistics and cost working against their cause for inclusion.
That leaves the United States as a likely preferred potential spot for expansion as the country eyes a rugby push ahead of the 2031 men’s World Cup. Travel and cost again complicate matters here, with the West Coast or Hawaii considered the most accessible areas.
Australia could also restore its fifth franchise – a scenario a lot more feasible after what is being tipped as a $100m windfall from the Lions tour that is set to wipe out Rugby Australia’s debt in one swoop.