SupeRugby
Super Rugby (shown in the logo as "SupeRugby" and sometimes called "Super 15") is the premier professional Rugby Union competition in the Southern Hemisphere. It began as the Super 10, later became Super 12, then Super 14, and expanded to 15 teams in 2011, when it was rebranded simply as Super Rugby.
The competition features teams from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa and has been broadcast in 41 countries. It started in 1996, with the first seasons known as Super 12. In 2006, the addition of two teams led to the Super 14 format. By 2011, with 15 teams, the competition adopted the name Super Rugby.
Competition Format (Pre-2011)
- Round-robin: each team plays every other team once.
- Each team has six or seven home games and six or seven away games.
- Points: 4 for a win, 2 for a draw.
- Bonus points: 1 point for scoring 4 or more tries or losing by 7 points or fewer.
- Top four teams advance to semifinals: 1st hosts 4th, 2nd hosts 3rd. Winners meet in the final at the higher seed's home ground.
- 91 regular-season games were played over 14 weekends, with each team having one bye.
Changes in 2011
- Teams were divided into country-based conferences.
- Each team plays home and away games within its conference, plus four of five teams from other conferences.
- The finals feature six teams: the top team from each conference plus the next three highest-scoring teams overall. The top two ranked teams receive a bye in the first playoff round.
Super Rugby Pacific (2022-present)
In 2022, the competition was renamed Super Rugby Pacific, reflecting a renewed focus on teams from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, along with a streamlined format designed to emphasize regional rivalries and reduce travel demands.
All-Time Super Rugby / Super Rugby Pacific Championship Winners
| Rank | Team | Titles Won | Championship Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canterbury Crusaders | 12 | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| 2 | Auckland Blues | 5 | 1996, 1997, 2003, 2024 |
| 3 | Waikato Chiefs | 2 | 2012, 2013 |
| 4 | Bulls | 3 | 2007, 2009, 2010 |
| 5 | ACT Brumbies | 2 | 2001, 2004 |
| 6 | Queensland Reds | 1 | 2011 |
| 7 | NSW Waratahs | 1 | 2014 |
| 8 | Highlanders | 1 | 2015 |
| 9 | Hurricanes | 1 | 2016 |
All-time Winningest Super Rugby / Super Rugby Pacific Head Coaches
| Rank | Coach | Team(s) Coached to Titles | Titles Won | Championship Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Robertson | Crusaders | 9 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| 2 | Robbie Deans | Crusaders | 5 | 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 |
| 3 | Frans Ludeke | Bulls | 3 | 2007, 2009, 2010 |
| 4 | Dave Rennie | Chiefs | 2 | 2012, 2013 |
| 5 | Wayne Smith | Crusaders | 2 | 1998, 1999 |
SupeRugby Teams
| Australia | New Zealand | South Africa |