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The Chiefs will host the Highlanders in the opening game of the 2019 Super Rugby season at FMG Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, on Friday, Feb. 15. The opening round will see fixtures in five countries, with Hamilton (New Zealand) joined as a host city by Canberra (Australia, Brumbies vs. Melbourne Rebels), Auckland (New Zealand, Blues vs. Crusaders), Sydney (Australia, New South Wales Waratahs vs. Hurricanes), Singapore (Sunwolves vs. Sharks), Pretoria (South Africa, Bulls vs. Stormers) and Buenos Aires (Argentina, Jaguares vs. Lions). The Waratahs will open their campaign against the Hurricanes at Brookvale Oval, with their Moore Park home at Allianz Stadium being put out of action through a mass renovation. The Tahs, who played the Blues last year at Brookvale, the home ground of the Manly Sea Eagles NRL club, will also host matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground, McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle and the new Western Sydney Stadium while their regular venue is out of commission. Their fixture against the Sunwolves in Newcastle, in Round 7, is but one match being played in a regional centre this season. The Hurricanes will host the Brumbies in Round 3 at Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North, and the Highlanders will play the Waratahs in Round 18 at ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill. The Chiefs will also take one of their home matches to Fiji for the third time, hosting the Crusaders in Suva in Round 16. It will be third such meeting between the teams in Fiji, with each having won one match in Suva. The season will be notable also for running without a break for 21 weeks from February to the grand final on Saturday, Jul. 6, as there will be no inbound Tests due to Rugby World Cup in Japan later in the year. "This is a huge plus for the tournament next year, and there will also be a uniform start to the tournament in Round 1 with a full round of seven matches to kick-off Super Rugby." SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos said in a press release to announce the confirmed schedule. The tournament's 15-team, three-conference format remains the same as last year. Each team plays 16 conference matches in the regular season, including fixtures home and away against their four conference rivals, and four matches (home or away) against teams from each of the other Conferences. Each team also has two byes. There will be a total of 120 matches in the regular season, followed by a seven-match, eight-team finals series. The finals series also remains unchanged, with each of the three conference winners hosting a quarterfinal. The team with the most tournament points that is not a conference winner, regardless of conference, will host the fourth quarterfinal. This wildcard team will be joined in the quarterfinals by the four next best wildcard teams based on tournament points regardless of conference. Australia Conference Brumbies, Rebels, Reds, Waratahs, Sunwolves New Zealand Conference Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes South Africa Conference Bulls, Lions, Sharks, Stormers, Jaguares
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