# Super Rugby Pacific 2027: New Zealand Group Planning > Super Rugby Pacific 2027 opens on 12 February in Christchurch and ends with the Grand Final on 26 June. Notes for group planners. Source: https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-29-super-rugby-pacific-2027-new-zealand-groups/ Events 29 October 2026 · Explera Trade Desk · 3 min read ![A rugby player carrying the ball into a tackle on a grass field](https://www.explera.co.nz/assets/photos/men-playing-rugby-field_23-2150062045-1400.webp) **Short answer:** Super Rugby Pacific 2027 starts on Friday 12 February 2027, when the Crusaders host the Queensland Reds at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. The draw, released on 15 September 2026, has 17 rounds and 80 games, Super Round back in Christchurch in Round 8, and the Grand Final on Saturday 26 June 2027. Explera DMC New Zealand plans rugby groups around the fixtures. Super Rugby Pacific is the club competition for teams from New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. This briefing is for travel agents, tour operators and sports travel specialists who sell rugby trips to New Zealand in 2027. ## What does the 2027 draw say? - **Opening night, Friday 12 February 2027.** The Crusaders host the Queensland Reds at One New Zealand Stadium, the new stadium at Te Kaha in central Christchurch. - **Opening Saturday, 13 February 2027.** The Hurricanes, the reigning champions, open their title defence against the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland. - **A longer season.** The regular season has 17 rounds and 80 games, with ten Sunday games, six more than last season. - **Super Round in Christchurch.** Super Round returns to Christchurch in Round 8, from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 April 2027: all ten teams and five games, opened by the Crusaders against the ACT Brumbies on the Friday night. See our [Super Round 2027 page](https://www.explera.co.nz/events/super-rugby-pacific-super-round-christchurch/). - **Finals.** The top six teams play a three-week finals series of sudden-death games, and the Grand Final is on Saturday 26 June 2027. ![Three spectators silhouetted against a floodlit pitch during a match](https://www.explera.co.nz/assets/photos/silhouettes-football-stadium_1137-256-1400.webp) *Three spectators silhouetted against a floodlit pitch during a match* ## Where can groups see games in the South Island? - **Christchurch.** One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha opened in March 2026 and hosts the opening game and Super Round. See our [Te Kaha stadium briefing](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-14-christchurch-te-kaha-stadium-event-groups/). - **Dunedin.** Dunedin Venues lists five Highlanders home games for 2027 and says Super Rugby is "back under the roof": the Blues on 20 February, the Chiefs on 20 March, the Brumbies on 27 March, the Hurricanes on Sunday 16 May and the Crusaders on 5 June. - **One city or two.** Christchurch and Dunedin are linked by domestic flights and by road, so a group can combine a game in each city with South Island touring. ## How do we plan a rugby group around Super Rugby? - **Fix the game first.** We build the programme around the fixture the group is travelling for, then add touring before and after it. - **Rooms on match weekends.** Super Round brings every team and their supporters to one city, so we hold rooms with a release date as soon as the group's dates are firm. - **Transfers on match day.** We arrange a coach to and from the stadium, so the group is not waiting for taxis after the final whistle. - **Tickets.** We do not sell match tickets. Clients or their agent buy them from the official ticket seller, and we plan everything else around the game. - **Kick-off times.** Times can change for broadcast, so we confirm them again before the final programme goes to the client. ![Rows of empty green stadium seats with one worker in a yellow jacket](https://www.explera.co.nz/assets/photos/high-angle-shot-empty-stadium-daytime_181624-18405-1400.webp) *Rows of empty green stadium seats with one worker in a yellow jacket* ## How Explera DMC New Zealand can help We are the [Christchurch DMC](https://www.explera.co.nz/destinations/christchurch/) and [Dunedin DMC](https://www.explera.co.nz/destinations/dunedin/) for travel agents and tour operators, planning [sports team and event travel](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/sports-team-and-event-travel-new-zealand/), [group tours](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/group-tours-new-zealand/) and [coach and private transfers](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/coach-and-private-transfers-new-zealand/). See also our [Rugby World Cup 2027 briefing](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-15-rugby-world-cup-2027-australia-new-zealand-groups/) and our [Dunedin concerts briefing for March 2027](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-27-dunedin-march-2027-concerts-chase-status-bryan-adams-groups/). ## FAQ **When does Super Rugby Pacific 2027 start?** On Friday 12 February 2027, with the Crusaders against the Queensland Reds at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. **When is the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final?** On Saturday 26 June 2027. **Where is Super Round in 2027?** In Christchurch, from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 April 2027, in Round 8 of the season. **How many games are in the 2027 regular season?** 80 games over 17 rounds, including ten on Sundays. **Can Explera DMC New Zealand supply match tickets?** No. Clients buy tickets from the official seller; we plan rooms, transfers and touring around the game. ## Sources - [Expanded season taps into Sundays as 2027 draw revealed](https://super.rugby/superrugby/news/expanded-season-taps-into-sundays-as-2027-draw-revealed/), Super Rugby Pacific, 15 September 2026 - [Super Round returns to Christchurch in 2027](https://super.rugby/superrugby/news/super-round-returns-to-christchurch-in-2027/), Super Rugby Pacific, 11 September 2026 - [Dunedin Venues events calendar](https://www.dunedinvenues.co.nz/events), checked 27 October 2026 ## Talk to the trade desk Explera DMC New Zealand trade desk — b2b@explera.co.nz, WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090, B2B portal [b2b.expleradmc.com](https://b2b.expleradmc.com). Destinations in this briefing [Christchurch](https://www.explera.co.nz/destinations/christchurch/)[Auckland](https://www.explera.co.nz/destinations/auckland/)[Dunedin](https://www.explera.co.nz/destinations/dunedin/) Work with our New Zealand DMC [New Zealand DMC](https://www.explera.co.nz/)[New Zealand DMC services](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/) ## Talk to the trade desk *Your New Zealand DMC partner* From a single FIT to series groups and full MICE programmes, every New Zealand proposal is costed by hand against your brief at net rates. Request a quote with the form, or send your requirements as a new email with a descriptive subject line. Selling this to clients? See the service page: [Sports team & event travel](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/sports-team-and-event-travel-new-zealand/) [Request a quote](https://www.explera.co.nz/contact-us/#quote) [Register on the B2B platform](https://b2b.expleradmc.com/web/signup) [b2b@explera.co.nz](mailto:b2b@explera.co.nz) [WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090](https://wa.me/66936568090) ## More from the trade blog. *Keep reading* [All posts](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/) [Subscribe via RSS](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/rss.xml) - [WOMAD Aotearoa 2027 in New Plymouth: Group Planning](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-29-womad-aotearoa-2027-new-plymouth-groups/) - [World of WearableArt 2027 Wellington: Groups Guide](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-29-world-of-wearableart-2027-wellington-groups/) - [Laneway Festival Auckland 2027: Western Springs Groups](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-28-laneway-festival-auckland-2027-western-springs-groups/)