2018 Super 15 schedule

The Stormers will play the Jaguares in Cape Town to relaunch the revamped Super Rugby in 2018.

SANZAAR has announced the match schedule for the restructured  2018 Super Rugby tournament that comprises a 15-team three-conference format. Each team will play 16 League matches, eight at home and eight away.

The Japanese Sunwolves will now play in the Australian Conference. The play-offs will again be an eight team, seven match finals series, with the final set for 4 August.

2018 Super Rugby match schedule.

Each team will play 16 Conference matches that include eight matches within their own Conference (home and away) and four matches against teams from each of the other Conferences (home or away). The finals will comprise an eight team, seven match series.

New Zealand Conference:
Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes

Australian Conference:
Brumbies, Rebels, Reds, Waratahs, Sunwolves

South African Conference:
Bulls, Lions, Sharks, Stormers, Jaguares.

The 2018 Super Rugby tournament starts on Saturday 17 February when the South African Conference kicks-off with the Stormers hosting the Jaguares in Cape Town. The Lions, runners-up the last two years, host the Sharks in Johannesburg, while Bulls have a bye.

The Australian and New Zealand Conferences will kick-off a week later when the defending champions the Crusaders open the defence of their title at home against the Chiefs. The Brumbies, last year’s Australian Conference winner, open the season against the Sunwolves in Tokyo who are now positioned in the Australian Conference.