Rugby - Super Rugby
The leading rugby competition in the southern hemisphere below national team level currently involves 10 franchises from Australia and New Zealand, plus a pair of teams derived from the smaller Pacific islands in Oceania.
The competition has seen many changes of teams and structures. The current competitors are highlighted below.
From 1996 up to and including 2005 the tournament was known as Super 12 (involving 12 teams). The Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies from Australia; the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders of New Zealand; the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Cats hailing from South Africa. In 2006, the addition of the Force (Aus) and the splitting of the Cats into the Lions and the Cheetahs produced 14 teams from 2006-2010. From 2011, the Melbourne Rebels (Aus) were added to transform the competition into the Super 15.
In 2016, an Argentine team (Los Jaguares), a Japan-based side (Sunwolves) and a sixth South African outfit (Southern Kings) were added to make it 18 teams.
In 2018 and 2019, Force, Cheetahs and Kings were excluded from the event as it reverted to 15 sides. Sunwolves and Jaguares left after 2019.
Travel restrictions associated with the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic forced three separate events to be staged that year. All the South Africa teams left after 2020 to join the United Rugby Championship in Europe. In 2021, once again, three events were held.
In 2022, the Fijian Drua & Moana Pasifica joined to make it a 12-team tournament again.The final is held at the home ground of the team that finished best in the regular season.
The competition has seen many changes of teams and structures. The current competitors are highlighted below.
From 1996 up to and including 2005 the tournament was known as Super 12 (involving 12 teams). The Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies from Australia; the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders of New Zealand; the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Cats hailing from South Africa. In 2006, the addition of the Force (Aus) and the splitting of the Cats into the Lions and the Cheetahs produced 14 teams from 2006-2010. From 2011, the Melbourne Rebels (Aus) were added to transform the competition into the Super 15.
In 2016, an Argentine team (Los Jaguares), a Japan-based side (Sunwolves) and a sixth South African outfit (Southern Kings) were added to make it 18 teams.
In 2018 and 2019, Force, Cheetahs and Kings were excluded from the event as it reverted to 15 sides. Sunwolves and Jaguares left after 2019.
Travel restrictions associated with the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic forced three separate events to be staged that year. All the South Africa teams left after 2020 to join the United Rugby Championship in Europe. In 2021, once again, three events were held.
In 2022, the Fijian Drua & Moana Pasifica joined to make it a 12-team tournament again.The final is held at the home ground of the team that finished best in the regular season.
| YEAR | WINNERS | RUNNERS-UP |
| 1996 | BLUES (Nzl) | Sharks (RSA) |
| 1997 | BLUES (Nzl) | Brumbies (Aus) |
| 1998 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Blues (Nzl) |
| 1999 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | H'landers (Nzl) |
| 2000 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Brumbies (Aus) |
| 2001 | BRUMBIES (Aus) | Sharks (RSA) |
| 2002 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Brumbies (Aus) |
| 2003 | BLUES (Nzl) | Crusaders (Nzl) |
| 2004 | BRUMBIES (Aus) | Crusaders (Nzl) |
| 2005 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Waratahs (Aus) |
| 2006 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Hurricanes (Nzl) |
| 2007 | BULLS (RSA) | Sharks (RSA) |
| 2008 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Waratahs (Aus) |
| 2009 | BULLS (RSA) | Chiefs (Nzl) |
| 2010 | BULLS (RSA) | Stormers (RSA) |
| 2011 | REDS (Aus) | Crusaders (Nzl) |
| 2012 | CHIEFS (Nzl) | Sharks (RSA) |
| 2013 | CHIEFS (Nzl) | Brumbies (Aus) |
| 2014 | WARATAHS (Aus) | Crusaders (Nzl) |
| 2015 | HIGHLANDERS (Nzl) | Hurricanes (Nzl) |
| 2016 | HURRICANES (Nzl) | Lions (RSA) |
| 2017 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Lions (RSA) |
| 2018 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Lions (RSA) |
| 2019 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Jaguares (Arg) |
| 2020 Ao | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Blues (Nzl) |
| 2020 Au | BRUMBIES (Aus) | Reds (Aus) |
| 2020 Ul | BULLS (RSA) | Stormers (RSA) |
| 2021 Ao | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Chiefs (Nzl) |
| 2021 Au | REDS (Aus) | Brumbies (Aus) |
| 2021 Tm | BLUES (Nzl) | Highlanders (Nzl) |
| 2022 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Blues (Nzl) |
| 2023 | CRUSADERS (Nzl) | Chiefs (Nzl) |
| 2024 | BLUES (Nzl) | Chiefs (Nzl) |
Ao = Super Rugby Aotearoa (Nzl teams only); Au = Super Rugby AU (Aus teams only); Ul = Super Rugby Unlocked (RSA teams only); Tm = Super Rugby Tasman (Aus/Nzl team only) - all tournaments staged after Covid-19 pandemic cancelled the regular 2020 and 2021 Super Rugby seasons. These do not count as official Super Rugby tournaments in terms of titles won.
| Finals at: | |
| Auckland | 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2022, 2024 |
| Dunedin | 1999 |
| Canberra | 2000, 2001, 2004 |
| Christchurch | 2002, 05, 06, 08 (Jade), 18, 19, 23 (St'm) |
| Durban | 2007 |
| Pretoria | 2009 |
| Soweto | 2010 |
| Brisbane | 2011 |
| Hamilton | 2012, 2013 |
| Sydney | 2014 |
| Wellington | 2015, 2016 |
| Jo'burg | 2017 |
| 2020 Super Rugby AU final was held in Canberra and the 2021 climax in Brisbane. The 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa final was staged in Christchurch. There was no final for Super Rugby Aotearoa or Super Rugby Unlocked in 2020. The 2021 Super Rugby Tasman final was played in Auckland. Links to other Rugby |
| National Teams | Club/Provincial |