This year, Super Rugby Pacific returned as one of rugby union’s elite competitions, set to open in February. The Super Rugby Pacific will feature regular-season encounters between top teams. This season will be the 31st edition of Super Rugby, an annual rugby union competition. Super Rugby Pacific began in 1996 and has an impressive history in rugby union.
The teams competing this season include the Hurricanes, Blues, Brumbies, Reds, Chiefs, Crusaders, Waratahs, Highlanders, Fijian Drua, Force, and Moana Pasifika. Fans are eagerly awaiting a highly anticipated season to watch the team’s performances at the venues. In particular, fans from Australia, Fiji, the Pacific Islands, and New Zealand are likely to see how the front-runner players perform.
Event Details for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season
Start Date: February 13, 2026 (Friday)
End Date: May 30, 2026 (Saturday)
Where can I watch the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season?
You can access the Super Rugby Pacific season on Stan Sport in Australia. Don’t miss out on the rugby game you can see on Sky Network Television in New Zealand.
In Africa, this game will be broadcast on SuperSport for the rugby union world.
Super Rugby Pacific will air on the ESPN network in South America. Coverage will be available in countries including Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. In addition, viewers in Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay will also be able to watch the tournament.
In the United Kingdom, this game will be broadcast on Sky Sports across Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales). This platform provides additional services in Northern Ireland, Ireland, and the Channel Islands.
Don’t miss out; the game will air on Canal+ in France, Monaco, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.
The RugbyPass will broadcast the Super Rugby Pacific season in the United States of America. Coverage will include American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. It will also extend to additional U.S. territories, such as Bajo Nuevo Bank, Johnston Atoll, the Midway Islands, and Bermuda.
The Super Rugby Pacific season will air on the WOWOW channel in Japan for rugby fans. The Telefónica network will be running for this game in Spain and Andorra.
The Super Rugby Pacific seasons will stream on Sky Pacific across the Pacific Islands.
FBC Sports will provide free coverage of Super Rugby Pacific to fans in Fiji. At the same time, Premier Sports will broadcast the tournament in Canada and Southeast Asia. Other countries include Bhutan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Laos.
It will also be available in Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Macau, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Marianas, the Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Nepal, and North Korea. Coverage will also include the Philippines, Singapore, Pakistan, Palau, South Korea, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
This 2026 season will be broadcast on Super Rugby Pacific 2026 YouTube in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Other countries include Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, and Denmark.
The Asia region includes Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, and Qatar. In addition, coverage will include Yemen, the West Bank, China, India, and Sri Lanka. and the United Arab Emirates.
Format
In the 2026 season, the Super Rugby Pacific will feature 11 teams competing in a round-robin format. Each team plays 14 matches, with 7 home and 7 away. While teams are assigned four rival teams to face twice, they play six other teams just once. The top six teams will qualify for the Qualifying Finals at the end of the regular season.
The winners of the top six teams’ match, along with the highest-seeded losing team, will advance to face the semi-finals. These new formats provide the losing team another chance to enter as the fourth seed and play away in the semi-finals. Furthermore, standings throughout the season are based on competitive points. The teams earn 4 points for a victory, 2 for a draw, and 0 for a loss.
Overview
| Team | Stadia | Coach | Captain |
| Brumbies | GIO Stadium, Canberra | Stephen Larkham | Allan Alaalatoa, Ryan Lonergan |
| Force | HBF Park, Perth, and HIF Health Insurance Oval, Joondalup | Simon Cron | Jeremy Williams |
| Reds | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | Les Kiss | Fraser McReight |
| Waratahs | Allianz Stadium, Sydney | Dan McKellar | Matt Philip |
| Drua | Churchill Park, Lautoka, Four R Stadium, Ba, and HFC Bank Stadium, Suva | Glen Jackson | Frank Lomani and Temo Mayanavanua |
| Blues | Eden Park, Auckland | Vern Cotter | Patrick Tuipulotu and Dalton Papali’i |
| Chiefs | FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton | Jono Gibbes | Luke Jacobson |
| Crusaders | Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch, and One NZ Stadium, Christchurch | Rob Penney | David Havili |
| Highlanders | Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin | Jamie Joseph | Hugh Renton, Timoci, and Tavatavanawai |
| Hurricanes | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, and McLean Park, Napier | Clark Laidlaw | Jordie Barrett and Du’Plessis Kirifi |
| Moana Pasifika | North Harbor Stadium, Albany, Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe, and Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua | Tana Umaga | Miracle Faiʻilagi |
2026 Super Rugby Pacific Standings
| Position | Team | P | W | D | L | PD | B | Pts |
| 1 | Hurricanes | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 166 | 4 | 24 |
| 2 | Blues | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 95 | 4 | 24 |
| 3 | Brumbies | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 50 | 3 | 19 |
| 4 | Reds | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | -18 | 2 | 18 |
| 5 | Chiefs | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 1 | 17 |
| 6 | Crusaders | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 7 | Waratahs | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -15 | 2 | 14 |
| 8 | Highlanders | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | -44 | 1 | 13 |
| 9 | Fijian Drua | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -57 | 0 | 8 |
| 10 | Force | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -52 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Moana Pasifika | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | -162 | 0 | 4 |
Qualification Teams
| Position | Team | Qualification |
| 1 | Hurricanes | Qualifying finals |
| 2 | Blues | Qualifying finals |
| 3 | Brumbies | Qualifying finals |
| 4 | Reds | Qualifying finals |
| 5 | Chiefs | Qualifying finals |
| 6 | Crusaders | Qualifying finals |
| 7 | Waratahs | – |
| 8 | Highlanders | – |
| 9 | Fijian Drua | – |
| 10 | Force | – |
| 11 | Moana Pasifika | – |
Upcoming Round 8 Schedule
Crusaders vs Fijian Drua
Date: April 2, 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 02:05 AM ET (Next Day) | 11:05 PM PT | 11:35 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch.
Chiefs vs Waratahs
Date: April 3, 2026 (Friday)
Time: 02:05 AM ET (Next Day) | 11:05 PM PT | 11:35 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.
Reds vs. Force
Date: April 4, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 04:35 AM ET | 01:35 AM PT | 02:05 PM IST
Venue: Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Match Previews
Crusaders vs Fijian Drua
Date: April 2, 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 02:05 AM ET (Next Day) | 11:05 PM PT | 11:35 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch.
Predicted Lineups for Crusaders
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett (c), Antonio Shalfoon, Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, and Christian Lio-Willie |
| Backs | Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Macca Springer, David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Sevu Reece, and Will Jordan |
Predicted Lineups for Fijian Drua
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Haereiti Hetet, Zuriel Togiatama, Mesake Doge, Isoa Nasilasila, Temo Mayanavanua/Etonia Waqa, Mesake Vocevoce, Kitione Salawa and Elia Canakaivata |
| Backs | Issak Fines-Leleiwasa/Frank Lomani, Kemu Valetini/Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, Ponipate Loganimasi/Manasa Mataele, Virimi Vakatawa, Tuidraki Samusamuvodre/Epeli Momo, Epeli Momo/Manasa Mataele, and Ilaisa Droasese |
Previous Games
The Crusaders have a strong scrum and lineouts, which give them consistent possession. The team has multiple achievements in world rugby and continues to deliver consistent performances. They are currently in sixth position and qualify for the final stage of the Super Rugby Pacific.
Conversely, the Fijian Drua has struggled to perform in the league tournament. They have shown inconsistency in their away record. Defensively, the team has conceded more tries in ten away matches than the Crusaders have allowed at home.
The Pick: Crusaders
Chiefs vs Waratahs
Date: April 3, 2026 (Friday)
Time: 02:05 AM ET (Next Day) | 11:05 PM PT | 11:35 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.
Predicted Lineups for Chiefs
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | George Dyer, Brodie McAlister, Jared Profitt, Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Josh Lord, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson (c), and Simon Parker |
| Backs | Xavier Roe, Josh Jacomb, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Quinn Tupaea, Leroy Carter, Emoni Narawa, and Damian McKenzie |
Predicted Lineups for Waratahs
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Tom Lambert, Ethan Dobbins, Daniel Botha, Matt Philip (c), Angus Blyth, Clem Halaholo, Charlie Gamble, and Pete Samu |
| Backs | Jake Gordon, Jack Debreczeni, Sid Harvey, Joey Walton, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, and James Hendren |
Previous Games
The Chiefs are currently 5th in the league standings with 17 points. They have played six matches, recording four wins, zero draws, and two losses. This team has also qualified for the final round of the competition this season. The Chiefs have a home advantage to take a win.
By contrast, the Waratahs have shown inconsistent form in the Super Rugby Pacific. They are now in seventh place in the league standings with 14 points.
The Pick: Chiefs
Reds vs. Force
Date: April 4, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 04:35 AM ET | 01:35 AM PT | 02:05 PM IST
Venue: Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Predicted Lineups for Reds
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Aidan Ross, Josh Nasser, Nick Bloomfield, Seru Uru, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Joe Brial, Fraser McReight (c), and Harry Wilson |
| Backs | Louis Werchon, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Tim Ryan, Hunter Paisami, Isaac Henry, Filipo Daugunu, and Jock Campbell |
Predicted Lineups for Force
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, and Nick Champion de Crespigny |
| Backs | Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Bayley Kuenzle, Kurtley Beale, George Bridge, Darby Lancaster, and Max Burey |
Previous Games
The Queensland Reds have a tough, resilient home record, backed by a well-organized defensive unit. In their recent five matches, they have shown mixed results, which reflects an impressive form.
In contrast, the Western Force has struggled to convert meters into tries. Their recent form has been poor and inconsistent throughout the season. In head-to-head clashes, the Queensland Reds are dominant against the Force.
The Pick: Reds
Match Summary
The Super Rugby Pacific season will conclude with the remaining eight matches. The tournament began with 11 teams, and the qualifying finals were a close contest, with the champion to be crowned. That team will have greater resilience and determination to lift the trophy in the season’s closing stages.
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