Super Rugby draw 2017

[Bovidae]

The Super rugby schedule has been released. Rds 15 and 16 are staggered to accommodate the Lions tour.

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[Duluth]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11713210

Blues draw (Home matches in bold)
v Rebels, Thursday February 23
v Chiefs, Friday March 3
v Highlanders, Saturday March 11
v Crusaders, Friday March 17
v Bulls, Saturday March 25
v Force, Saturday April 1
v Highlanders, Saturday April 8
v Hurricanes, Saturday April 15
v Brumbies, Sun April 30
v Waratahs, Saturday May 6
v Cheetahs, Friday May 12
v Stormers, Friday May 19
v Chiefs, Friday May 26
v Reds, Friday June 2
v Sunwolves, Saturday July 15

Hurricanes draw (Home matches in bold)
v Sunwolves, Tokyo, Saturday, February 25
v Rebels, Saturday, March 4, 5.15pm
v Chiefs, Friday, March 10, 7:35pm
v Highlanders, Saturday, March 18, 7:35pm
v Reds, Brisbane, Saturday, April 1, 9:45pm
v Waratahs, Friday, April 7, 7:35pm
v Blues, Saturday, April 15, 7:35pm
v Brumbies, Friday, April 21, 7:35pm
v Stormers, Friday, May 5, 7:35pm
v Crusaders, Christchurch, Saturday, May 13, 7:35pm
v Cheetahs, Saturday, May 20, 7:35pm
v Bulls, Pretoria, Sunday, May 28, 1:05am
v Force, Perth, Saturday, June 3, 11:55pm
v Chiefs, Friday, June 9, 7:35pm
v Crusaders, Saturday, July 15, 7:35pm

Crusaders draw (home games in bold)
v Brumbies, Saturday, February 25
v Highlanders, Saturday March 4
v Reds, Saturday March 11
v Blues, Friday March 17
v Force, Friday March 24
v Waratahs, Sunday April 2
v Sunwolves, Friday April 14
v Stormers, Saturday April 22
v Cheetahs, Saturday April 29
v Bulls, Saturday May 6
v Hurricanes, Saturday May 13
v Chiefs, Friday May 19
v Rebels, Saturday May 27
v Highlanders, Saturday June 3
v Hurricanes, Saturday July 15

Highlanders draw
v Chiefs, Friday February 24
v Crusaders, Saturday March 4
v Blues, Saturday March 11
v Hurricanes, Saturday March 18
v Brumbies, Saturday March 25
v Rebels, Friday March 31
v Blues, Saturday April 8
v Sunwolves, Saturday April 22
v Stormers, Friday April 28
v Cheetahs, Friday May 5
v Bulls, Saturday May 13
v Force, Saturday May 20
v Waratahs, Saturday May 27
v Crusaders, Saturday June 3
v Reds, Friday July 14

[mariner4life]

Not a bad draw for the Chiefs. The non-NZ away games are all very winnable.

[Hooroo]

Second round is also 5 points in the bag, @mariner4life

[No Quarter]

Followed by a resounding loss in the third round to bring them back down to earth...

[mariner4life]

@Hooroo unbeaten season, you heard it here first

[Hooroo]

@mariner4life Course it is! Donald swansong and all!

[Stargazer]

So, one round robin game and the finals after the Lions tour.

For the Blues, the final round robin game is an away game v the Sunwolves. For the Highlanders a, potentially, easy home game v the Reds. The Chiefs host the Brumbies. And a blockbuster game between the Hurricanes and the Crusaders in Wellington, apart from the location like 2016.

The Blues have one away game in SA (Stormers) and an away game v the Sunwolves, but with two home games and the Lions tour break in-between these two games.

The Chiefs have two games in SA against the Stormers and Cheetahs, with a game v the Force on the way home.

The Hurricanes start with an away game v the Sunwolves in Tokyo, and - not long before the June break - have one game v the Bulls in SA, follwed by a game v the Force on the way home.

The Crusaders have two games in SA v the Cheetahs and Bulls.

The Highlanders have two games in SA against the Cheetahs and the Bulls, with a game v the Force on the way home.

Another thing that draws attention is that the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Highlanders have 8 home games, while the Blues and Crusaders only have 7 home games.

[Hooroo]

@Stargazer said in Super Rugby draw 2017:

> Another thing that draws attention is that the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Highlanders have 8 home games, while the Blues and Crusaders only have 7 home games.

Wasn't it the other way round this year?

[Stargazer]

@Hooroo said in Super Rugby draw 2017:

@Stargazer said in Super Rugby draw 2017:

> Another thing that draws attention is that the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Highlanders have 8 home games, while the Blues and Crusaders only have 7 home games.

Wasn't it the other way round this year?

That's very well possible; I'll check.

Edit: yes, that's correct, the Blues and Crusaders had 8 home games in 2016, and the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Highlanders had 7.

Also interesting: the NZ derbies, with

• the Blues playing the Chiefs and the Highlanders home and away, the Hurricanes only at home, and the Crusaders only away (2016: Hurricanes and Crusaders home and away, Highlanders only at home, and the Chiefs only away).

• the Chiefs playing the Blues and Hurricanes home and away, the Crusaders only at home, and the Highlanders only away (2016: Crusaders and Highlanders home and away, Blues only at home, and the Hurricanes only away).

• the Hurricanes playing the Chiefs and Crusaders home and away, the Highlanders only at home, and the Blues only away (2016: Blues and Highlanders home and away, Chiefs only at home, and the Crusaders only away).

• the Crusaders playing the Hurricanes and Highlanders home and away, the Blues only at home, and the Chiefs only away (2016: Blues and Chiefs home and away, Hurricanes only at home, and the Highlanders only away).

• the Highlanders playing the Blues and Crusaders home and away, the Chiefs only at home, and the Hurricanes only away (2016: Chiefs and Hurricanes home and away, Crusaders only at home, and the Blues only away).

[Unco]

Seems like a good draw for the Chiefs. A hard first few weeks, followed by a bye, then the Bulls at home, followed by the tour and then the Sunwolves and Reds as welcome home presents.

Interesting to note that the Chiefs and Hurricanes play each other on June 9th. I guess with the other franchises getting their Lions games early, they can fit that game in there and keep both teams match fit for their Lions games (though they'll both probably be missing their ABs for those Lions games).

[Bovidae]

@Unco The Chiefs will have 11 days to prepare for the game against the Lions and the Canes will have an 18 day gap. Neither of them are likely to face the Lions test XV. The big unknown is whether the Chiefs will be without Maori players too.

[Bones]

That looks to be a rather sweet run home for the highlanders.

[African Monkey]

Tougher Australian draw for the Blues next season but happy with the how the South African leg has turned out for us by not having to go to altitude.

[cgrant]

So the Lions won't play any NZ sides this year. They will finish first and so, earn a semifinal at home and eventually, a final at home.

[hydro11]

@cgrant said in Super Rugby draw 2017:

So the Lions won't play any NZ sides this year. They will finish first and so, earn a semifinal at home and eventually, a final at home.

Maybe. A good chance a NZ side finishes the season 8th. Reckon the Lions would have to play two Kiwi teams - not so easy.