SANZAR, the governing body of rugby's Investec Super 14 and Tri Nations has today released the schedule for the 2008 Super 14 competition.
The opening round will begin on Friday February 15th with Australia's Brumbies up against New Zealand's Crusaders in Christchurch.
The 2007 Super 14 Champion the Bulls take on fellow-South African outfit the Stormers in Cape Town, the Blues (Auckland) stay home for the Chiefs (Waikato) in an All New Zealand affair, while the South African outfits the Cheetahs and the Lions (Johannesburg) will round out the first weekend of competition in Bloemfontein.
The Waratahs will play their opening match against the Hurricanes (Wellington,NZ) in Sydney, the Queensland Reds open their season against the Highlanders (Otago) in Brisbane, while Western Australia's Western Force will travel to meet last year's narrowly-beaten finalist the Sharks in Durban.
SANZAR and ARU Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer John O'Neill says Investec Super 14 in 2008 promises so much on the back of the Rugby World Cup.
"With all three national teams favourites to do well in France, the players are sure to carry their experience into the Investec Super 14 competition," John O'Neill said.
"Based on the strength of the South African teams, the step-up in intensity by the newest of the Super 14 franchises The Cheetahs and the Western Force in 2007 and with new young blood coming through the Reds and the Waratahs, the scene is
As if a player exodus and losing their coach to the Blues was not a bitter enough pill to swallow, the Highlanders have been dealt another harsh hand with the draw.
New Zealand's embattled franchise has been saddled with a potentially nightmarish conclusion to the round robin phase -- a three-match assignment in South Africa against the Bulls, Stormers and Cheetahs before they return home to face the Blues and Crusaders.
Recently-appointed head coach Glenn Moore, a replacement for new Blues assistant Greg Cooper, already has to contend without a wealth of experience offered by Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman, Clarke Dermody, Josh Blackie and Nick Evans -- the notable features among a mass of defections from the 2007 side.
And the schedule for the 13th edition of the tournament was unlikely to have raised any spirits inside Carisbrook with the Highlanders also the only New Zealand franchises to start their campaign with two away games across the Tasman in Brisbane and Canberra.
The Crusaders, potentially coached by Robbie Deans for the last time, and the Blues are the first New Zealand franchises to venture to South Africa in week two where they face the Bulls and Lions respectively.
The unveiling of the draw finally killed off any prospect of the Crusaders' ambitious plans to convince a South African team to play their home game on London's Twickenham in a revenue generating exercise.
Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus rejected the proposal last month and the Bulls, who were also invited to head north for a one-off game at the home of English rugby, also declined to leave their 50,000-strong fortress at Loftus Versfeld for the rematch of this year's semifinal.
The Hurricanes head to South Africa in round nine, the Highlanders a week later while the Chiefs finish up on the road with a three-pronged trip to the Western Force, Lions and Sharks.
On the home front, New Zealand's franchises will almost exclusively play at one venue.
The Hurricanes play all their six home games in Wellington, meaning Palmerston North and New Plymouth miss out while the Chiefs will play one game outside of Hamilton -- their round six match against the Bulls in Rotorua.
Eden Park hosts the Blues for all but one game, with North Harbour Stadium getting the nod for the fifth round match against the Western Force. The Crusaders do not venture outside of Christchurch.
The semifinals are scheduled for May 23-24 with the final on May 31.
The Super Rugby competition began in 1996 with the Crusaders, the most successful team, having won six titles (2006, 2005, 2002, 2000,1999,1998). The Brumbies are the only Australian outfit to have won a Super title, doing so in 2001 and 2004. The 2007 Super 14 title to the Bulls was the first for a South African team.
Super 14 rugby draw for 2008 announced today (NZ times):-
Week 1
Friday, February 15: Crusaders v Brumbies, Christchurch, 19:35; Waratahs v Hurricanes, Sydney, 21:40.
Saturday, Feb 16: Sharks v Western Force, Durban, 06:10; Blues v Chiefs, Auckland, 19:35; Reds v Highlanders, Brisbane, 22:05.
Sunday, Feb 17: Stormers v Bulls, Cape Town, 04:00; Cheetahs v Lions, Bloemfontein, 06:05.
Week 2
Fri, Feb 22: Hurricanes v Reds, Wellington, 19:35.
Sat, Feb 23: Cheetahs v Western Force, Bloemfontein, 05:00; Bulls v Crusaders, Pretoria, 07:05; Chiefs v Waratahs, Hamilton, 19:35; Brumbies v Highlanders, Canberra, 21:40.
Sun, Feb 24: Sharks v Stormers, Durban, 04:00; Lions v Blues, Johannesburg, 06:05.
Week 3
Fri, Feb 29: Hurricanes v Chiefs, Wellington, 19:35.
Sat, Feb 30: Lions v Western Force, Johannesburg, 05:30; Stormers v Crusaders, Cape Town, 07:35.
Sat, March 1: Highlanders v Waratahs, Dunedin, 19:35; Brumbies v Reds, Canberra, 21:40.
Sun, Mar 2: Cheetahs v Blues, Bloemfontein, 04:00, Bulls v Sharks, Pretoria, 06:05.
Week 4
Fri, Mar 7: Highlanders v Hurricanes, Dunedin, 19:35; Waratahs v Brumbies, Sydney, 21:40.
Sat, Mar 8: Bulls v Lions, Pretoria, 06:05; Chiefs v Cheetahs, Hamilton, 19:35; Reds v Stormers, Brisbane, 22:05.
Sun, Mar 9: Sharks v Blues, Durban, 06:10, Western Force v Crusaders, Perth, 21:00.
Week 5
Fri, Mar 14: Chiefs v Stormers, Hamilton, 19:35; Brumbies v Hurricanes, Canberra, 21:40.
Sat, Mar 15: Blues v Western Force, North Harbour, 17:30; Crusaders v Cheetahs, Christchurch, 19:35; Reds v Bulls, Brisbane, 22:05.
Sun, Mar 16: Lions v Sharks, Johannesburg, 04:00.
Byes: Waratahs and Highlanders.
Week 6
Fri, Mar 21: Crusaders v Waratahs, Christchurch, 19:35; Brumbies v Cheetahs, Canberra, 21:40.
Sat, Mar 22: Highlanders v Western Force, Queenstown, 14:30; Blues v Stormers, Auckland, 17:30; Chiefs v Bulls, Rotorua, 19:35.
Sun, Mar 23: Lions v Reds, Johannesburg, 04:00.
Byes: Hurricanes and Sharks.
Week 7
Fri, Mar 28: Hurricanes v Crusaders, Wellington, 19:35; Waratahs v Cheetahs, Sydney, 21:40; Western Force v Stormers, Perth, midnight.
Sat, Mar 29: Chiefs v Highlanders, Hamilton, 17:30; Blues v Bulls, Auckland, 19:35.
Sun, Mar 30: Sharks v Reds, Durban, 04:00.
Byes: Brumbies and Lions.
Week 8
Fri, April 4: Highlanders v Lions, Dunedin, 19:35; Brumbies v Chiefs, Canberra, 22:40.
Sat, Apr 5: Western Force v Bulls, Perth, 00:45; Hurricanes v Sharks, Wellington, 19:35; Waratahs v Blues, Sydney, 22:40.
Sun, Apr 6: Cheetahs v Reds, Bloemfontein, 03:00.
Byes: Crusaders and Stormers.
Week 9
Fri, Apr 11: Highlanders v Sharks, Dunedin, 19:35.
Sat, Apr 12: Crusaders v Lions, Christchurch, 17:30; Blues v Brumbies, Auckland, 19:35; Western Force v Waratahs, Perth, 23:05.
Sun, Apr 13: Stormers v Cheetahs, Cape Town, 01:00; Bulls v Hurricanes, Pretoria, 03:05.
Byes: Reds and Chiefs.
Week 10
Fri, Apr 18: Chiefs v Crusaders, Hamilton, 19:35; Reds v Western Force, Brisbane, 21:40.
Sat, Apr 19: Waratahs v Lions, Sydney, 19:30; Brumbies v Sharks, Canberra, 21:40.
Sun, Apr 20: Bulls v Highlanders, Pretoria, 01:00; Stormers v Hurricanes, Cape Town, 03:05.
Byes: Blues and Cheetahs.
Week 11
Fri, Apr 25: Crusaders v Blues, Christchurch, 19:35; Brumbies v Lions, Canberra, 21:40.
Sat, Apr 26: Chiefs v Reds, Hamilton, 19:35; Waratahs v Sharks, Sydney, 21:40.
Sun, Apr 27: Cheetahs v Hurricanes, Bloemfontein, 01:00; Stormers v Highlanders, Cape Town, 03:05.
Byes: Western Force and Bulls.
Week 12
Fri, May 2: Crusaders v Sharks, Christchurch, 19:35; Western Force v Chiefs, Perth, 23:05.
Sat, May 3: Cheetahs v Highlanders, Bloemfontein, 05:10; Hurricanes v Lions, Wellington, 19:35; Reds v Blues, Brisbane, 21:40.
Sun, May 4: Bulls v Waratahs, Pretoria, 01:00; Stormers v Brumbies, Cape Town, 03:05.
Week 13
Fri, May 9: Hurricanes v Western Force, Wellington, 19:35.
Sat, May 10: Bulls v Brumbies, Pretoria, 05:10; Highlanders v Blues, Dunedin, 19:35; Reds v Crusaders, Brisbane, 21:40.
Sun, May 11: Sharks v Cheetahs, Durban, 01:00; Lions v Chiefs, Johannesburg, 03:05; Stormers v Waratahs, Cape Town, 05:10.
Week 14
Fri, May 16: Blues v Hurricanes, Auckland, 19:35; Western Force v Brumbies, Perth, 23:05.
Sat, May 17: Crusaders v Highlanders, Christchurch, 19:35; Reds v Waratahs, Brisbane, 21:40.
Sun, May 18: Lions v Stormers, Johannesburg, 01:00; Cheetahs v Bulls, Bloemfontein, 03:05; Sharks v Chiefs, Durban, 05:10.
Semifinals on May 23-24. Final on May 31.