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Five teams handed an extra home game as Super Rugby Trans-Tasman draw finalised

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Townsville will host its first Super Rugby match in 15 years next month when the Reds host the Chiefs at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on May 29.

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The North Queensland venue has been confirmed as the stage for the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman fixture as details for all matches in round three of the competition were confirmed by New Zealand Rugby [NZR] and Rugby Australia [RA] on Friday.

All matches from that weekend were initially scheduled to be held at one unannounced venue between May 28 and May 29 what was billed as ‘Super Round’.

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But, as it was confirmed the Trans-Tasman competition would go ahead as scheduled earlier this month, it was also announced round three matches would be staged at separate venues across New Zealand and Australia.

The details of where those matches will be played have now been locked in, with the Reds set to take the Chiefs to the newly-built Queensland Country Bank Stadium, which only opened last year and is home of the NRL’s North Queensland Cowboys.

It will be the first time the Chiefs have ever played in Townsville, and just the second time the Reds have played a match there since they defeated the Highlanders 22-16 at Willows Sports Complex in the final round of the 2006 Super 14 campaign.

The match is one of three to be held on May 29, as the Waratahs will take on the Crusaders at WIN Stadium in Wollongong while the Blues will host the Brumbies at Eden Park in Auckland in the day’s earlier fixtures.

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The round will kick-off of May 28 when the Hurricanes play the Western Force at McLean Park in Napier, the first Super Rugby match to be played in Hawke’s Bay since the Wellington franchise beat the Sharks in a last-gasp, one-point thriller in 2018.

The Highlanders, meanwhile, will host the Melbourne Rebels in an afternoon match on May 30 at a yet-to-be-determined venue within the franchise’s region.

Possible venue options include Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin and Rugby Park in Invercargill, although the 2:35pm kick-off time could allow the Queenstown Events Centre, which doesn’t have floodlights, to host its first Super Rugby match since 2010.

“We are grateful to be in a position to lock in the final matches for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and, with the travel bubble open, we’re all looking forward to welcoming our Australian counterparts to New Zealand next month,” NZR general manager of professional rugby and high performance Chris Lendrum said.

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“It’s disappointing we were unable to get the ‘Super Round’ off the ground in 2021, but I’m sure it’s a concept we will re-visit in the future.

“Fans and players are understandably focused on the exciting final rounds of Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU, but I’m sure when the dust settles there will be an air of anticipation as to how the respective teams measure up against their trans-Tasman rivals.”

RA chief executive Andy Marinos added: “It’s great to be in a position where we can play our New Zealand counterparts again.

“It has been a terrific Super Rugby AU that has already far exceeded everyone’s expectations, and we still have the last round left to play before finals action.

“Our players are intensely focused on finishing this Super Rugby AU season on a high, and then throwing everything at their Kiwi counterparts during six action packed weeks of trans-Tasman footy.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to host a ‘Super Round’ in round three, however I’m really excited to take games to Townsville and Wollongong and engaging with those communities.”

Updated fixtures for Sky Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Round 3

Friday 28 May

Hurricanes v Western Force at McLean Park, Napier – 7:05pm NZT/5:05pm AEST

Saturday 29 May

Waratahs v Crusaders at WIN Stadium, Wollongong – 5:05pm NZT/3:05pm AEST

Blues v Brumbies at Eden Park, Auckland – 7:15pm NZT/5:15pm AEST

Reds v Chiefs at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville – 9:45pm NZT/7:45pm AEST

Sunday 30 May

Highlanders v Melbourne Rebels, venue TBC in Highlanders region – 2:35pm NZT/12:35pm AEST

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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