Super Rugby Women’s 2025 fixtures CONFIRMED: double headers, Pasifika feel – and an inaugural Trans-Tasman champion clash


https://ift.tt/ZpmyrcI RoarNovember 20, 2024 at 12:52AMhttps://cdn4.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GettyImages-2150497153-copy-scaled-e1732056628981.jpg

The 2025 Super Rugby Women’s fixture list has been announced, set to take place from February to April 2025.

Following the success of the Wallaroos in 2024 winning the WXV 2 and qualifying for the Rugby World Cup, discourse has grown around the need for an expansion of the women’s domestic competition – which has only intensified with the confirmed demise of the Melbourne Rebels Women in October.

The 2025 season, like previous editions, will see each team play each other once across five rounds – however, the four Australian sides will not lose the additional fixture, with four development fixtures featuring a touring Pasifika team confirmed on each team’s respective bye week.

Formed in 2024 as a purely development side and supported by the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program, Penina Pasifika comprises players from Samoa and Tonga. The side has already featured in several pre-season clashes against Super Rugby Women’s sides and is expected to be immediately competitive, reflected in their 17-7 loss to the Reds last year.

Combined with the Reds also heading to Tonga for a double-header earlier this year, these development fixtures likely serve as a potential audition for Penina’s future inclusion in the competition.

The competition proper will kick off with a grand final rematch between the Waratahs and the Fijiana Drua at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, while the Western Force host the ACT Brumbies at HBF Park, with both opening round games forming double-headers with their respective Super Rugby Pacific fixtures.

The opening fortnight will see more doubleheaders in Brisbane and Lautoka, with the Force and Brumbies also set to host doubleheaders in rounds four and five, respectively.

This will culminate in semi-finals in April, with the Grand Final set to be played at North Sydney Oval on April 12th.

However, in a historic moment for the elite women’s game, the winner of Super Rugby Women’s will then face the winner of New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aupiki competition in the inaugural Women’s Super Rugby Champions Final on April 17th – with a sign that of a Trans-Tasman competition taking another step forward.

All games will be broadcast on Stan Sport.

“Super Rugby Women’s will go to another level in 2025 as our teams compete for both the championship and the right to participate in the first-ever Women’s Super Rugby Champions Final,” said Rugby Australia General Manager Women’s Rugby Jilly Collins in the official statement.

“As well as a historic event for the women’s game, the Final will be a showcase of elite women’s Rugby that helps to elevate the game across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

“With the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup kicking off in August, there are so many storylines to play out as players across our competition fight for a spot on the plane to England.”

Following this, the Wallaroos are expected to play in the Pacific Four series with New Zealand, the United States and Canada before the World Cup, with fixtures to be confirmed.

The Super Rugby Women's Champions Trophy is displayed during the Super Rugby Women's Grand Final match between NSW Waratahs and Fijian Drua at Ballymore Stadium on April 28, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Images)

Who will lift the Super Rugby Women’s Champions Trophy in 2025? (Photo by Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Images)

2025 SUPER RUGBY WOMEN’S DRAW
All times local and * denotes double-header with Super Rugby Pacific

ROUND 1
5.05pm Friday 28 Feb – Waratahs v Drua – Allianz Stadium, Sydney*
2.05pm Sat 1 Mar – Force v Brumbies – HBF Park, Perth*

Development fixture – 3.00pm Sat 1 Mar – Reds v Penina Pasifika – Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

ROUND 2
1.05pm Sat 8 Mar – Drua v Reds – Churchill Park, Lautoka*
5.05pm Sat 8 Mar – Waratahs v Force – Allianz Stadium, Sydney*

Development fixture – 2.00pm Sat 8 Mar – Brumbies v Penina Pasifika – University of Canberra

ROUND 3
3.35pm Sat 15 Mar – Drua v Brumbies – Churchill Park, Lautoka
2.05pm Sun 16 Mar – Reds v Waratahs – Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

Development fixture – 3.00pm Sat 15 Mar – Force v Penina Pasifika – McGillivray Oval, Perth

ROUND 4
1.05pm Sat 22 Mar – Brumbies v Reds – Viking Park, Canberra
4.50pm Sun 23 Mar – Force v Drua – HBF Park, Perth*

Development fixture – 2.00pm Sat 22 Mar – Waratahs v Penina Pasifika – Daceyville, Sydney

ROUND 5
5.05pm Fri 28 Mar – Brumbies v Waratahs – GIO Stadium, Canberra*
1.05pm Sun 30 Mar – Reds v Force – Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

SEMI-FINALS
Fri 4 Apr – Sat 5 Apr
Teams ranked 1st and 2nd will host the Semi-Finals

GRAND FINAL
2.35pm Sat 12 Apr – North Sydney Oval, Sydney

2025 WOMEN’S SUPER RUGBY CHAMPIONS FINAL
7.05pm Thurs 17 Apr – 2025 Super Rugby Women’s Champion v 2025 Super Rugby Aupiki Champion – New Zealand

Nick Wasilievhttps://https://ift.tt/2klrCQ4 Rugby Women’s 2025 fixtures CONFIRMED: double headers, Pasifika feel – and an inaugural Trans-Tasman champion clash

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