New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the remodelled Super Rugby Pacific draw that will see the inaugural competition front loaded with local derbies due to Covid travel restrictions.
As reported by the Herald on Wednesday, Moana Pasifika will make their debut and open the competition by hosting the Blues at Mt Smart Stadium on Friday, February 18.
The revamped competition starts in Australia the same night, with the NSW Waratahs hosting the Fijian Drua, while in New Zealand the Chiefs meet the Highlanders in Hamilton and the Crusaders welcome the Hurricanes to Christchurch.
The six New Zealand-based teams and six Australian-based teams, which includes fellow new entrants the Drua, will play their opening eight matches on different sides of the Tasman due to Covid travel restrictions.
The new schedule retains the same format announced in November with a full round robin and single points table followed by quarterfinals, semis and a final on June 18.
Each team will play 14 matches during the regular season, 11 round-robin fixtures plus three additional rivalry matches.
All 12 clubs are scheduled to converge on Melbourne in round 10 for a 'super round' - originally scheduled for round two - that will feature Anzac commemorations. Trans-Tasman fixtures are scheduled to resume in Round 11 (29 April-1 May).
Despite the heavy physical toll and lengthy casualty lists the derby matches have imposed on players in recent seasons, NZR general manager professional rugby and performance Chris Lendrum said all New Zealand teams supported the draw changes.
"There's a mild amount of frustration that we're here but we've also learnt over the past couple of years that these things happen," Lendrum said.
"It's not plan A but we haven't had much choice and our players have been great partners through Covid. We know our coaches will have a role in making sure they manage their squads through the competition because that start is intense for the New Zealand teams, but they've done it before and I know they're excited to get back into it in the New Year.
"There's some unintended benefits that come with the draw adjustment. We're tremendously excited about opening night. It was going to be the Brumbies now it's the first cross-town Blues and Moana Pasifika derby.
"The movement of the super round to be around Anzac Day commemorations is really meaningful for the rugby public on both sides of the Tasman."
At this stage the New Zealand border is slated to open to vaccinated non-Kiwis at the end of April, but as Covid-19 Omicron cases rise in Australia the goalposts on travel constantly shift, creating further uncertainty for the trans-Tasman fixtures.
Lendrum indicated NZ Rugby is yet to devise a contingency plan should the border remain closed, or MIQ is required, beyond April.
"We've learnt over the last couple of years not to think too far ahead about too many contingencies because you cannot predict what's going to happen. That's a scenario we don't want to contemplate at the moment, but you never say never.
"We're really hopeful this draw can now play out as announced today but we don't have absolute certainty of that so we'll keep working with the government and Sport New Zealand to understand how things change, as they inevitably will, through the next four months and we'll be ready to adapt as necessary.
"It's hard going for sports and events in the world at the moment. That's just the lot we've got."
Basing all teams in Australia had not been seriously considered yet.
"It wasn't part of the thinking at this stage. That's really a last resort for us. It's important we get our teams playing in front of our fans."
SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC AT A GLANCE
Season opener
Friday 18 February: Moana Pasifika v Blues @ Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland.
Format
12 teams: Moana Pasifika, Fijian Drua, Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders, Waratahs, Reds, Force, Brumbies, Rebels
14 regular season matches = 11 round-robin matches + 3 rivalry matches
One bye round per team (all byes in Rounds 7, 8 & 9)
Season Length: 18 weeks = 15-week regular season + three-week playoff series
Total Matches: 91
Playoffs: 8-team playoffs format - QFs: June 3-5; SFs: 10-11 June; FINAL 18 June.
Super Round
Round 10, Friday-Sunday 22-24 April @ AAMI Park Melbourne Park.
Highlanders v Brumbies; Moana Pasifika v Force; Blues v Fijian Drua; Hurricanes v Reds; Chiefs v Waratahs; Crusaders v Rebels.
New Zealand teams' rivalry matches
Blues
Highlanders (H) Rd 4; (A) Rd 6
Chiefs (H) Rd 3; (A) Rd 8
Moana Pasifika (H) Rd 7; (A) Rd 1
Chiefs
Blues (H) Rd 8; (A) Rd 3
Crusaders (H) Rd 6; (A) Rd 4
Moana Pasifika (H) Rd 2; (A) Rd 9
Crusaders
Chiefs (H) Rd 4; (A) Rd 6
Highlanders (H) Rd 7; (A) Rd 2
Hurricanes (H) Rd 1; (A) Rd 8
Highlanders
Blues (H) Rd 6; (A) Rd 4
Crusaders (H) Rd 2; (A) Rd 7
Hurricanes (H) Rd 9; (A) Rd 3
Hurricanes
Crusaders (H) Rd 8; (A) Rd 1
Highlanders (H) Rd 3; (A) Rd 9
Moana Pasifika (H) Rd 4; (A) Rd 6
Moana Pasifika
Blues (H) Rd 1; (A) Rd 7
Hurricanes (H) Rd 6; (A) Rd 4
Chiefs (H) Rd 9; (A) Rd 2
