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Super Rugby Pacific's future confirmed as new deal announced

The Super Rugby Pacific trophy. Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images

DHL Super Rugby Pacific’s future has been locked in until 2030 with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and Rugby Australia (RA) announcing details of a new joint-venture agreement in Sydney today.

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NZR CEO Mark Robinson and RA CEO Andy Marinos each heralded the new partnership, which will extend the existing joint venture from 2024 to 2030, as a significant moment for professional club rugby in the Pacific region.

Robinson said the agreement represented a unified commitment to the DHL Super Rugby Pacific format.

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“This long-term agreement provides certainty for players, coaches, fans, sponsors and broadcast partners and it solidifies our joint commitment to ensuring DHL Super Rugby Pacific is the most entertaining, innovative, and fan-focused cross-border club competition in the world. We charted a new path with the introduction of Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua this year,and having all 91 games played in regional time zones, believe we have entered an exciting new era for rugby in the Pacific region.”

Marinos said the agreement was a watershed moment for professional rugby across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

“Today marks the dawn of a new era of Super Rugby within our region. Securing this long-term partnership provides stability and continuity that the competition and Super Rugby clubs need to enable rugby to grow in stature and importance across the region.”

The new agreement will usher in a new governance model for DHL Super Rugby Pacific with the establishment of a nine-person board, which will include an independent Chair, four independent Directors, and one representative each from NZR, RA, the New Zealand Rugby Players Association (NZRPA), Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA). The Board willoversee the competition with the purpose of a clear, unbiased focus on governance, and the creation of a consistent look and feel across the competition. 

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Marinos said there were no plans to change the current format, but also a commitment to ensure the competition remained at the forefront of dynamic and innovative rugby.

“RA and NZR are committed to the development of the most exciting form of rugby in the world, through trialling and implementing new rules, new ways of engaging fans or broadcast innovations with our partners. The partnership will enable our players, clubs and partners to plan ahead with certainty in a competition that we are sure will feature some of the best rugby in the world.”

The new Board will also have a mandate to explore the creation of a fully integrated women’s competition structure in order tobuild on the success of Super Rugby W in Australia and Sky Super Rugby Aupiki in New Zealand.

Robinson said there was a collective commitment to grow the women’s professional competitions alongside DHL Super Rugby Pacific.

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“We saw the quality of women’s rugby throughout the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and while it is not a case of copy and paste with the men’s structure in DHL Super Rugby Pacific, we believe there are enormous opportunities to build a world class cross border professional women’s club competition in the Pacific region.”

The agreement confirms the current DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition format, however the new board will keep continue to look at options to adapt and adjust over time.

An agreement has been settled regarding revenue sharing between the parties until the conclusion of the current broadcast deals at the end of 2025 – with further financial agreements to be determined following the finalisation of future broadcast agreements.

The ongoing partnership also establishes an opportunity for NZR and RA to collaborate on wider commercial initiatives and opportunities – inside and outside of DHL Super Rugby Pacific – to create a stronger presence for the sport in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

Press Release/New Zealand Rugby

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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