SUPER RUGBY MEDIA GUIDE 2014 COMPETITION INFORMATION 07 COMPETITION INFORMATION The Super Rugby tournament comprises 15 teams - five each from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa who this year, welcomes the return of the Lions based in Johannesburg. The tournament features a three-Conference system where the teams in each country make up nationally-based Conferences and play their four ‘local’ rivals on a home and away basis (eight games in total). They will also play four of the five teams in each of the other two Conferences on a home and away basis (another eight games). During the Regular Season, each team will play a total of 16 matches and will have two byes. In each country the teams will be ranked in separate Australian Conference, New Zealand Conference and South African Conference tables. In the overall competition standings, the three Conference leaders will occupy the top three places, followed by the three next-best “wildcards”, from any of the Conferences, based on their log points. After the completion of the Regular Season, a three-week Super Rugby Finals Series will take place involving the three Conference winners and the three best-placed “wildcards”, irrespective of the Conference in which they are based. The teams ranked 1 and 2 have a bye during the first week of the Finals Series with the teams ranked 3 to 6 taking part in Qualifiers to secure a place in the Semi-Finals. Teams 1 and 2 will host home semi-finals against the two qualifier winners. With the Conference winners ensured of home advantage, at least one Finals Series match will be played in each country each year. In June the competition will break for each respective country’s inbound Tests series. SUPER RUGBY 2014 AT A GLANCE: –– 125 matches will be played during the Regular Season –– 40 Regular Season matches will be played in each country –– There will be 20 Regular Season ‘local derbies’ in each country –– 50% of all Regular Season matches will be ‘local derbies’ –– Each team will play 12 of its 16 Regular Season games within its own country – with only four matches overseas
2014 Super Rugby Media Guide
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