The 50th Super Rugby encounter between the Chiefs and Crusaders franchises was set up perfectly after round one, as both teams won their respective New Zealand derbies.
Crusaders head coach Rob Penney says the Chiefs' round one win over the defending champion Blues has placed them as the team to beat in 2025.
Super Rugby Pacific is rich in talent, but not all players are in a position to shine in a way that is beneficial to not just their own careers, but to their respective national teams.
The top 50 prospects under 23 years of age currently plying their trade in New Zealand features three capped All Blacks already.
The Spanish have the honour of opening the pool the DHL Stadium this Saturday, taking on a French team that didn’t fire on all cylinders in a Six Nations campaign that only merited third place.
It was music to New Zealand ears. They had won the final of the U19s tournament that was staged in Ireland in 2007, and it was only natural that they carried over that success into the following year at U20s level with a 38-3 win in the final in Wales in June 2008.
The final week of the Super Rugby Pacific season saw the final playoff spot secured by the Fijian Drua after a big win over the Melbourne Rebels.
Only three of the five Australian sides have had most of their front row stocks made up of Wallaby eligible talent.
The Crusaders are winless no more with the defending Super Rugby Pacific champions putting in a much-improved performance as they beat the Chiefs 37-26.
The RugbyPass Round Table writers answer the big questions ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season starting with the best and worst of the Kiwi and Australian teams.