The Thursday night kick-off is a first for Super Rugby and is followed a week later by another Thursday night match between Western Force and the Queensland Reds in Perth.
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The 2017 season, the second played under the two-group, four conference, 18-team format, will be opened by the Melbourne Rebels and the Auckland Blues in Australia on Thursday, Feb. 23.
In other opening round games, 2016 Australian conference winners the Brumbies start away to the Crusaders, the Waratahs host the Force and the Reds start at home to the Sharks.
But Thursday night footy only features twice on the calendar, with a round-two clash between the Force and Reds in Perth the only other, with the opening two rounds the only ones where all 18 teams are in action.
ARU CEO Bill Pulver said: “Super Rugby is an unrivalled competition in the excitement and quality rugby it provides for fans”. The Queensland Reds will welcome home Quade Cooper, Stephen Moore and veteran George Smith, while the Western Force have a new Head Coach in Dave Wessels and some key players which have gained significant experience with the Wallabies through the 2016 worldwide season.
“Last year’s conference champions, the Brumbies will have a new-look team in 2017 as they aim for a fifth consecutive finals appearance, while the Waratahs blooded some terrific young talent in 2016 and will be hungry to get back to the post-season after narrowly missing out this year”.
As for the remainder of the Australian teams, the Brumbies face a tough initiation with a first-up trip to New Zealand to face the Crusaders, while the Waratahs will kick their season off with an all-Australian clash against the Force at Allianz Stadium.
The Wellington Hurricanes will open their Super Rugby title defence in Tokyo next year with a round one clash on February 25 against Japan’s Sunwolves, who finished bottom of the standings last season.
The competition will once again feature a mid-year break in June to accommodate the British and Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand.
The three-week play-off window finishes with the final on August 5.
It means there are two weekends where just the African conferences play, while there is one weekend featuring just the New Zealand and Australian sides, before the Hurricanes and Chiefs are the sole participants the weekend after.
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The full draw is available HERE.
