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Super Rugby Pacific Countdown: Every announced pre-season fixture
By Ned Lester
The countdown is on. Super Rugby Pacific is just a month away but fans need only wait until the opening days of February to catch their teams back in action.
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The 2024 pre-season promises more excitement than ever with fixtures between top Super Rugby clubs and the best teams of Japan and Europe to set the scene for a new era of Super Rugby Pacific talent.
As always, the year following a Rugby World Cup sees clubs’ succession planning put to the test, as stalwarts and legends depart and new faces attempt to live up to the standards of the jerseys left behind.
Names like Sam Whitelock, Michael Hooper, Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga will be among the notable absentees come February, while Sam Cane, Ardie Savea and Beauden Barrett are all in line to return to Super Rugby in 2025 after sabbaticals in Japan this year.
Which youngsters will get a crack at the next level in their absence? And can they make their mark and demand minutes moving forward?
These questions will begin to find answers once Super Rugby Pacific’s regular season kicks off on February 23. In the meantime, we shall get a sneak peak in the pre-season which begins on February 2.
Here are each of the announced pre-season fixtures.
Friday, February 2
Highlanders vs Moana Pasifika, Queenstown Events Centre, 6pm NZT
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Saturday, February 3
Rebels vs. Waratahs, 2.30pm AEDT, TBC
Melbourne Reds vs. Force, 3.15pm AEST, Ballymore Stadium
Brumbies vs. Drua, 6.45pm AEDT, Viking Park, Canberra
Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath vs. Blues, TBD, Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Sunday, February 4
Munster vs. Crusaders, TBD, Munster’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights vs. Chiefs, TBD, Kumagaya Rugby Stadium.
Friday, February 9
Highlanders vs Hurricanes, Queenstown
Saturday, February 10
Bristol Bears vs. Crusaders, TBD, Bristol
Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay v Chiefs, TBD, Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Yokohama Canon Eagles v Blues, TBD, Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium
Perth Reds vs. Waratahs, 7.40pm AEST, Gallas Fox Park, Roma
Force vs. Brumbies, 5pm WST, Revo Fitness Stadium,
Friday, February 16
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Crusaders vs. Highlanders, 6pm AEST, Methven Rugby Club
Rebels vs. Drua, 4.30pm AEDT, Gosch’s Paddock, Melbourne
Hurricanes vs. Moana Pasifika, NZCIS (Wellington)
Blues vs. Gallagher Chiefs, Takapuna Rugby Club, Onewa Domain, 4pm
Saturday, February 17
Waratahs vs. Warringah/Manly, 6.30pm AEDT, Pittwater Rugby Park, Sydney
