Super 14 to kick off wall-to-wall Rugby in 2007

Australian Rugby fans can pencil Friday 2 February into their diaries for the first round of the 2007 Super 14 season, kicking off a year of wall-to-wall Rugby.

The early kick off this year has been agreed by SANZAR to enable the Tri Nations series to be played earlier than normal, giving the three national teams seven full weeks to prepare for the Rugby World Cup in France which kicks off on 7 September.

The Reds and the Western Force will begin their 2007 Super 14 campaign in front of their home crowds, while the Waratahs and Brumbies will play their opening matches in South Africa and New Zealand respectively.

The six blockbuster local derbies in Australia are spread throughout the season, including the QLD Reds’ first trip to Perth to take on the Western Force, and the Brumbies hosting the Waratahs on Easter Sunday.

Fox Sports will again broadcast all 91 matches live and exclusively around Australia, with the commentary team of Greg Clarke, Phil Kearns and Greg Martin back in the saddle.

ARU Managing Director Gary Flowers said next year’s Super 14 was the start of the biggest year in Australian Rugby.

“There will be wall-to-wall Rugby from the start of the Super 14 on February 2 through to the Rugby World Cup Final on 20 October.

“When you include the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series, the Tri Nations, the new National Competition, the Adelaide Sevens World Series, the Pacific Six Nations and Premier Club Rugby, there will be top quality action every weekend of the season.

“The debut season of the Western Force last year was an outstanding success and resulted in a 42 per cent jump in crowd figures for matches in Australia.

“Over 620,000 fans came through the turnstiles to see the Waratahs, Brumbies, Reds and Western Force, and this figure is sure to grow further in 2007.”

Note: *All times are listed in local time. #Easter Sunday

Related Article:

SANZAR release 2007 Tri-Nations schedule (Wed Oct 11)