It’s what the players ‘all want’ Sam Cane says of the trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition

All Blacks captain Sam Cane says New Zealand’s top rugby players are delighted with the trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition added to the rugby schedule for 2021.

Cane confirmed at his Captain’s Run press conference on Friday in Sydney that New Zealand’s players had pushed hard for the add-on competition that will take place over six weeks following the conclusion of Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Months of rancour ended on Friday when New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia announced a trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition for 2021.

The six-week competition was unveiled by NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson and Australian counterpart Rob Clarke in Sydney, a symbolic show of unity after a difficult spell for the trans-Tasman rugby relationship that was repeatedly described by RA chairman Hamish McLennan as being at its “lowest ebb”.

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The competition – which will rely on teams being able to travel without managed isolation procedures currently in place during the Covid-19 pandemic – will follow the Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU competitions, with the Kiwi franchises playing each Australian franchise once before a final between the top two teams.

“I think it’s awesome that we get to open up and play against each other,” said Cane a day out from the Tri-Nations test against Argentina in west Sydney.

“I can’t imagine playing three rounds of bashing each other in New Zealand. It’s pretty exciting to have an opportunity to come over here and play, and vice-versa with them coming over to New Zealand,” he said.

Cane said a trans-Tasman competition was what the players all wanted.

“We (the players) worked pretty closely with Rob Nichol and the Players’ Association, and they do a good job working with New Zealand Rugby as well.

“They knew as players we want to be playing against the Australia teams, so it’s a pretty good result.”

Cane was a little more circumspect, though, when asked which of the two Super Rugby trophies on the line next year would hold more value.

“I haven’t really thought too much about it… I suppose Super Rugby Aotearoa could potentially be a bit tougher in the fact we’ve got to play each other twice. But they’ll both be important. Everyone wants to win, and there’s an inaugural trophy so it would be quite cool to have the Chiefs on that.”

Each side will have two home games and two away games in the round-robin stage, while their fifth will be part of a ‘Super Round’ featuring all Round 3 matches being played at one location, over one weekend.

The final will be played between at the home ground of the team that finishes top of the ladder.

In the opening round on May 14-15, the Crusaders host the Brumbies, the Chiefs hit the road to play the Western Force, the Blues face the Rebels in Melbourne, the Highlanders welcome the Reds, and the Hurricanes go to Sydney to play the Waratahs.

Robinson said he expected the Australian Super Rugby teams be “really strong”, despite earlier fears within NZ Rugby about player depth in Australia.

“There’s been some great banter with Rob since coming over here on Monday,” Robinson said.

”The Bledisloe Cup has been a great series and we know that there are some strong teams coming through in Australia and some great young talent coming through.

“So, we expect those teams to be really strong, and I know our clubs are hugely excited about the chance to pit themselves against the Aussies.”

Crucially, the competition means New Zealand franchises will now have a minimum of six home games across Super Rugby Aotearoa and the crossover competition in 2021, a number seen by Super Rugby CEOs as the minimum needed to break even.

The crossover competition in 2021 is likely to be the precursor to a full, 12-team competition in 2022 involving five New Zealand teams, five Australian teams, one team from Fiji and one Pasifika team based in south Auckland.

NZ Rugby and Rugby Australia have been at loggerheads for months over the future of Super Rugby and the hosting of The Rugby Championship.

NZ Rugby’s initial plan for an 8-10 team competition that it would run sparked fury across the ditch and Rugby Australia refused to even consider cutting at least one of its teams.

Full draw

Round One (May 14-15)

Crusaders v Brumbies; Western Force v Chiefs; Melbourne Rebels v Blues; Highlanders v Queensland Reds; NSW Waratahs v Hurricanes

Round Two (May 21-22)

Chiefs v Brumbies; Western Force v Highlanders; Hurricanes v Melbourne Rebels; Queensland Reds v Crusaders; Blues v NSW Waratahs

Round Three – Super Round (May 28-29)

Blues v Brumbies; Hurricanes v Western Force; Melbourne Rebels v Highlanders; Queensland Reds v Chiefs; NSW Waratahs v Crusaders

Round Four (June 4-5)

Brumbies v Hurricanes; Crusaders v Western Force; Chiefs v Melbourne Rebels, Queensland Reds v Blues; Highlanders v NSW Waratahs

Round Five (June 11-12)

Brumbies v Highlanders; Blues v Western Force; Melbourne Rebels v Crusaders; Hurricanes v Queensland Reds; NSW Waratahs v Chiefs

Final (Saturday, June 19)