Super Rugby Aotearoa

Super Rugby Aotearoa (branded as Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa for sponsorship reasons) is a domestic club rugby union tournament organised by New Zealand Rugby. It is a 10-week, round robin tournament (without playoffs or final) being played between the five New Zealand-based teams of Super Rugby.[1] The competition supplants the 2020 Super Rugby season, which was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Super Rugby Aotearoa
Official Logo
CountriesNew Zealand
Tournament format(s)Round-robin tournament
Matches played6
Attendance144,441 (24,074 per match)
Official websiteOfficial site

Announced on 6 May,[2] the competition began on 13 June, making it the first professional rugby union competition to occur since the beginning of the pandemic.[3] On 8 June, with most non-travel restrictions relating to the pandemic having been lifted in New Zealand, it was announced that the matches would be played with spectators admitted, making it among the first professional sporting events not played behind closed doors since the beginning of the pandemic's global spread.[4]

Law adaptions

On 2 June, New Zealand Rugby announced innovations designed to make the game more exciting for fans and players.[5] The trials were adapted from the 10 optional law trials available for unions and competitions given by World Rugby in May 2020.[6] The following innovations are being used during the competition:

  • Golden point – If a match is tied after 80 minutes of regular time, the result will be decided by golden point. The first team to score - by drop goal, penalty kick, or try - during a 10-minute period of extra time (5 minute halves) will take the win.
  • Red card change – Players who receive a red card can be replaced with another player 20 minutes after they are sent from the field. The sent-off player cannot return to the field.

In addition to the two law adaptations above, it was also announced that referees would be stricter in applying laws to the breakdown, to create faster attacking ball and a fairer contest.

Standings
Table
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 Blues33008156+25961013
2 Crusaders11003925+1451105
3 Highlanders21015254-265015
4 Chiefs20023952-1315011
5 Hurricanes20024569-2433000
Points allocation

Key: P = matches played, W = Win, D = Draw, L = Loss, PF = Points for, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TF = Tries For, TA = Tries Against, TB = Tries Bonus, LB = Loss Bonus, Pts = Competition Points

  • 4 competition points to the winning team
  • 0 competition point to the losing team
  • 2 competition points to each team for a draw
  • 1 competition point as the Try Bonus, to any team scoring fours tries (win or lose)
  • 1 competition point as the Loss Bonus, to the team which loses by fewer than 7 points

Matches

Round 1
13 June 2020
19:05
Highlanders 28–27 Chiefs (1 BP)
Try: A. Dixon 16' m
Tomkinson 22' c
Mikaele-Tu'u 39' c
Con: M. Hunt (2/3) 23', 40+1'
Pen: M. Hunt (2/2) 3', 60'
Drop: Gatland (1/1) 79'
 Report Try: Wainui 27' c
A. Lienert-Brown 72' m
Con: McKenzie (1/2) 29'
Pen: McKenzie (4/4) 9', 14', 32', 47'
Drop: McKenzie (1/1) 78'
Forsyth Barr Stadium
Attendance: 18,218[7]
Referee: Paul Williams
14 June 2020
15:35
Blues 30–20 Hurricanes
Try: Clarke 12' c
Faiane 19' c
Papalii 50' c
Con: Black (3/3) 14', 20', 52'
Pen: Black (3/3) 55', 59', 66'
 Report Try: Coles 15' m
Lam 26' m
Booth 78' c
Con: Perenara (1/1) 78'
Pen: Garden-Bachop (1/1) 9'
Eden Park
Attendance: 43,000[8]
Referee: Mike Fraser

Round 2
20 June 2020
19:05
Chiefs 12–24 Blues
Pen: McKenzie (4/5) 12', 21', 40'+1, 57'
 Report Try: Sotutu 15' c
Telea 72' m
Con: Black (1/1) 15'
Pen: Black (2/3) 37', 53'
Barrett (1/1) 69'
Drop: Barrett (1/1) 64'
FMG Stadium Waikato
Attendance: 23,874[9]
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe
21 June 2020
15:35
Hurricanes 25–39 Crusaders (1 BP)
Try: Aumua 63'm
Con: Garden-Bachop 64'
Pen: Garden-Bachop (5/5) 7', 18', 28', 36', 45'
Drop: Garden-Bachop (1/1) 31'
 Report Try: Reece 1' c
Ennor 14' m
Goodhue 31' c
Mo'unga 69' c
D. Havili 75' c
Con: Mo'unga (4/5) 3', 32', 70', 76'
Pen: Mo'unga (2/3) 50', 58'
Sky Stadium
Attendance: 20,349[10]
Referee: Brendon Pickerill

Round 3
27 June 2020
19:05
(1 BP) Blues 27–24 Highlanders (1 BP)
Try: Clarke 6' c
Papalii (2) 23' c, 58' m
R. Ioane 28' m
Con: Black (2/4) 8', 24'
Pen: Black (1/1) 15'
 Report Try: A. Dixon 11' c
M. Hunt 44' c
Frizell 53' c
Con: M. Hunt (3/3) 12', 46', 55'
Pen: M. Hunt (1/2) 21'
Eden Park
Attendance: 27,000[11]
Referee: Paul Williams
28 June 2020
15:35
Crusaders 18–13 Chiefs
Orangetheory Stadium
Attendance: 12,000[12]
Referee: James Doleman

Round 4
4 July 2020
19:05
Highlanders v Crusaders
5 July 2020
15:35
Chiefs v Hurricanes

Round 5
11 July 2020
19:05
Crusaders v Blues
12 July 2020
15:35
Hurricanes v Highlanders

Round 6
18 July 2020
19:05
Hurricanes v Blues
19 July 2020
15:35
Chiefs v Highlanders

Round 7
25 July 2020
19:05
Crusaders v Hurricanes
26 July 2020
15:35
Blues v Chiefs

Round 8
1 August 2020
19:05
Chiefs v Crusaders
2 August 2020
15:35
Highlanders v Blues

Round 9
8 August 2020
19:05
Hurricanes v Chiefs
9 August 2020
15:35
Crusaders v Highlanders

Round 10
15 August 2020
19:05
Highlanders v Hurricanes
16 August 2020
15:35
Blues v Crusaders

Players

Squads

The following Super Rugby Aotearoa squads have been named:

See also

References
  1. "Super Rugby Aotearoa draw and 'experimental' rules". Otago Daily Times. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. "Covid 19 coronavirus: New Zealand Rugby confirm details for 'Super Rugby Aotearoa' at alert level 2". NZ Herald. 7 May 2020. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  3. "Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa ready to kick off in June". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  4. "NZ lifts restrictions, crowds free to attend Super Rugby". ESPN.com. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  5. "EXCITING INNOVATIONS TO BE UNVEILED DURING INVESTEC SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA". Super Rugby NZ. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. "World Rugby creates access to optional domestic law trials to further reduce COVID-19 risk". World Rugby. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  7. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/big-crowd-boost-local-businesses
  8. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300034796/super-rugby-aotearoa-dan-carter-and-tana-umaga-get-rousing-reception-as-blues-water-boys
  9. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/121884143/super-rugby-aotearoa-blues-make-history-with-win-over-chiefs-in-hamilton
  10. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/121927103/super-rugby-aotearoa-average-crowds-more-than-double-as-blues-eye-another-bonanza
  11. https://www.superrugby.co.nz/news/blues-edge-highlanders-in-eden-park-nail-biter/
  12. https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/121969705/bedraggled-fans-support-crusaders-until-the-end-in-first-home-game-postcoronairus
  13. @SuperRugbyNZ (6 June 2020). "How good is the @BluesRugbyTeam looking for #SuperRugbyAotearoa Eyes" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Twitter.
  14. @SuperRugbyNZ (7 June 2020). "Collision symbol Introducing your @ChiefsRugby squad for Investec #SuperRugbyAotearoa" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Twitter.
  15. @SuperRugbyNZ (9 June 2020). "Fire Good squad this one. Here is your @crusadersrugbyteam for Investec #SuperRugbyAotearoa!" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 June 2020 – via Twitter.
  16. "TEAM PREVIEW: The Highlanders". Super Rugby NZ. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  17. "TEAM PREVIEW: The Hurricanes" (Press release). Super Rugby NZ. 7 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
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