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Everything you need to know: Super Rugby Pacific pre-season fixture list

130 days ago

Christian Lio-Willie of the Crusaders celebrates after scoring a try during the round 14 Super Rugby Pacific match between Crusaders and Blues at Apollo Projects Stadium, on May 25, 2024, in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

It’s not long now until the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season kicks off, but before round one, we have a set of pre-season fixtures to watch all of the new and returning talent ahead of the new campaign.

The Crusaders’ first pre-season game against the Blues at Kirwee Rugby Club has been announced as sold out by the two clubs, with hopefully a high quality matchup in front of a strong community-based crowd on the 31st of January. The matchup between familiar foes will be the first game for Blues head coach Vern Cotter since the title winning triumph last June.

Moana Pasifika will take on the Highlanders at North Harbour stadium on the 31st of January, which will be Jamie Joseph’s first game returning to head coach of the Highlanders for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific Season.

The 2024 Super Rugby finalists, the Chiefs, will be looking to go one better in 2025. Clayton McMillan’s side will be without Shaun Stevenson and Wallace Sititi for a chunk of the campaign, so the pre-season matchups against the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika will be crucial in finding replacements for the two key absences.

The Waratahs will take on the Brumbies at Bowral Rugby Club on Saturday, February 1. This could possibly be the first outing for Wallabies midfielder and former Rugby League star Joseph Suaalii in a NSW Waratahs shirt.

The Queensland Reds will travel to the UK to take on Ulster and the Bristol Bears, to gain a different experience in pre-season heading into an important 2025 campaign under Les Kiss.

Here is the full set of Super Rugby pre-season fixtures.

Fijian Drua v Rugby FC Los Angeles – Churchill Park, Lautoka – 24th January 2025
Sat 25 Jan NSW Waratahs v NSW Pacifica Eric Tweedale Stadium
Fri 31 Jan Moana Pasifika v Highlanders The Oval, North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Fri 31 Jan Crusaders v Blues Kirwee Rugby Club, Kirwee
Fri 31 Jan QLD Reds v Bristol Bears Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
Sat 1 Feb NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies Bowral Rugby Club
Sat 1 Feb Chiefs v Hurricanes Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
Thur 6 Feb Highlanders v Crusaders Rugby Park, Invercargill
Fri 7 Feb ACT Brumbies v Western Force Marist College, Canberra
Fri 7 Feb QLD Reds v Ulster Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
Fri 7 Feb Hurricanes v Blues William Jones Park, Wainuiomata
Sat 8 Feb Chiefs v Moana Pasifika Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe

Comments

4 Comments

Cantab 129 days ago

Pre season games mean little as only really practice matches and teams won't reveal their full hand just yet.

GP 130 days ago

Hopefully I am going to go the Crusaders -Blues pre season match at the Kirwee Rugby Club. Kirwee is the club of Don Hayes. He was captain of Canterbury's most successful Ranfurly Shield team 1982-85. James O'Connor, Kyle Preston others will debut for the Crusaders, ( all going well). Stand out young provincial players likely get a game too. The likes of Canterbury "Break Through" Player of the year Isaac Hutchinson and his team mate James White and promising Tasman loose forward Johnny Lee , should see game time. Blues will have similar players , among them Canterbury hooker James Mullan.

Icefarrow 130 days ago

Wdym hopefully? It's sold out, isnt it? You're either going, or you aren't.

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Cantab 19 days ago

Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments

James 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments

dw 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments

dw 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments

dw 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.

Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 19 days ago

'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments

JM 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 19 days ago

'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments

OJohn 19 days ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments

Carlos 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 19 days ago

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0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments

BC 19 days ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments

NB 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍

37 Go to comments

NB 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Always the same at the other place. Some of those perceptions of him at the Tahs - lazy, overweight and slow - were impossible to shift!

37 Go to comments

NB 19 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Hang on to Miz Carlos!

37 Go to comments

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Everything you need to know: Super Rugby Pacific pre-season fixture list

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