Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders to kick off 10-team Super Round at Christchurch’s new stadium on Friday, April 24

Monday, 11 August 2025

The Super Round will be hosted in Christchurch in 2026 – marking the first time the event will be held in New Zealand and the first major sporting event at the brand new One New Zealand Stadium.

The defending champion Crusaders will play their first Super Rugby Pacific match at Christchurch’s new Te Kaha One New Zealand Stadium on Friday, April 24 to kick off super round - the stadium’s first major sporting event and just days after its expected completion date.

As reported by The Press last week, Super Rugby Pacific confirmed the first New Zealand-hosted super round at a stadium event on Monday, in which 10 teams will descend on Christchurch for round 11 of next year’s competition.

Fixture details are to be confirmed in the coming weeks, including the Crusaders’ opponents for that opening match at the state-of-the-art 25,000-seat covered stadium.

From left: Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge, Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley. Mayor Phil Mauger and Noah Hotham.

On Saturday, April 25, the Hurricanes will face the ACT Brumbies for the Captain Shout Cup, and the Blues tackle the Queensland Reds, with the players competing for the Sellars Dixon Medal.

The action concludes with another double-header on Sunday April 26, the statement said.

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 said on Monday: “Hosting this event in Ōtautahi Christchurch is a fantastic way to showcase the best of our competition. We’re excited to work with the city and the Crusaders to deliver something unforgettable.”

Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Monday. The stadium will open in April.

“That first opening night will be a great party.”

As reported last week, concerns over the arrangement involved the tight turnaround time, as the stadium’s expected completion date is April 20.

Captain David Havili and the Crusaders celebrate their win over the Chiefs in the final in June.

Any fears that the stadium might not be ready for the Anzac spectacular were assuaged enough to press ahead.

The Crusaders will play their home Super Rugby Pacific games at their current venue of Apollo Projects Stadium in Addington until Anzac weekend.

Christchurch will be heaving when the new stadium hosts Super Rugby Pacific’s Super Round on Anzac weekend 2026.

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.

Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said super round would be a celebration of the stadium coming to life.

“I’m stoked the new stadium is going to host rugby, concerts and an amazing array of community events – but there’s no better way to kick it off than recognise the DNA of this region and start with Super Round hosted by Super Rugby Pacific and the very grateful Crusaders club.”

Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger said the opening event would be a major milestone in the remarkable comeback story of the city following the 2011 earthquake which saw the Crusaders’ former home Lancaster Park demolished.

“It’s great to share that with our friends and neighbours from across the country, Australia and the Pacific. We are really proud to be able to launch this amazing venue on behalf of Christchurch and know it will be a place where great memories are made.”