Another year, another Super Rugby Pacific season is upon us, but things are looking a little bit different this time around with a new finals format and one fewer team. So what's changed in 2025?
What is the new competition format?
With the Melbourne Rebels axed from Super Rugby Pacific the competition has been reduced to just 11 teams - the Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Hurricanes, Highlanders, Moana Pacific, Fijian Drua, ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds and Western Force. The competition will run across a 16-round regular season, followed by a three-week finals series.
When does the season kick off? Are there changes to kick-off times?
The opening round will begin in Christchurch on Friday Feb. 14 (or Valentine's Day for all our lovers out there) with the Crusaders hosting the Hurricanes, before the round continues in Sydney and runs across Saturday night.
Kick-off times have remained consistent with afternoon fixtures returning, as well as three Sunday afternoon fixtures through the season.
Click here for full fixtures list
How many games will each team play?
Each team will play 14 regular season games -- seven at home, seven away with two bye weeks -- with an additional week of round robin games added to the competition. Each team will play four teams twice, with a focus on traditional and local rivalries.
What is the new finals format? How does it work?
The much-maligned eight team finals format has finally received the boot after three seasons, with 2025 welcoming in a six-team finals series. The qualifying finals will be played out in a 1v6, 2v5, and 3v4 format with the higher-seeded teams to host.
The three winning sides will earn their place in the semifinal with the top-seeded loser or 'lucky loser' claiming the fourth semifinal spot. To ensure there's no repeat of the qualifying clashes, the lucky loser will drop in seeding. The format will see 1v4, 2v3 with the top seeded sides to host.
The top seeded winner will then host the final.
What about Super Round?
With the Rebels' axing, Super Round has also been scrapped. The concept may be revived in the future, however, Super Rugby Pacific chief executive Jack Mesley has previously confirmed.
Are there any new law variations?
After several seasons of law changes and trials, SRP will not be introducing any law changes in 2025. Previous variations including time limits on conversions, penalty kicks, scrums and lineouts; TMO interventions; 20-minute red cards and full red cards; and offside laws around kicking remain.
Has there been any major player movements?
A new year has of course brought plenty of player movements, especially given the demise of the Melbourne Rebels with some of Australia's best searching for new homes in 2025, while there's been some big movements in New Zealand as well.
Following his signing in 2023, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will finally pull on the sky blue jersey for the Waratahs in 2025. He's been joined by former Rebels stars Rob Leota, the Tongan Thor Taniela Tupou, and Andrew Kellaway.
The Reds have also welcomed international talent in Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Filipo Daugunu and rising lock Josh Canham, while the Chiefs have signed Brodie McAlister after he starred for the Crusaders.
In an interesting move the Crusaders have snapped up former Wallaby James O'Connor from the Reds, while the Western Force have signed rising Wallabies star Dylan Pietsch and Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
In some of the bigger player movements, Ardie Savea headlines the Moana Pasifika squad after he signed with the club. He's been joined by playmaker Jackson Garden-Bachop who makes his return to Super Rugby. In Auckland the Blues have welcomed back All Blacks star Beauden Barrett from his Japanese sabbatical, while his brother Jordie Barrett has signed with Leinster.
Are there any new coaches?
There has been a little movement in the coaching ranks ahead of the 2025 season, with Jamie Joseph switching from head of rugby at the Highlanders into the head coaching role, while Dan McKellar makes his return to Australian rugby with the NSW Waratahs. Meanwhile the Fijian Drua have a new head coach in Glen Jackson after Mick Byrne's elevation to Fiji head coach.
Who's running this whole thing?
For the first time Super Rugby Pacific will be run under a new government structure with Australian Jack Mesley named as the competition's first CEO. Mesley comes to the competition with 20 years of professional experience in marketing and operations, including roles with the A-Leagues, and NRL club Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He will be supported by a board featuring four independent directors, New Zealand Rugby Union chief Mark Robinson and his Rugby Australia counterpart Phil Waugh, as well a representative from each both nations' players associations. Mesley and the board have been tasked with rejuvenating the competition.