Forget Auckland - keep Super Round in Christchurch and give the Crusaders plenty of time to promote it
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
ANALYSIS: The success of Super Rugby’s Super Round in Christchurch has encouraged other bidders to put their hands up for the event.
Blues chief executive Karl Budge was quick to put forward a case for hosting the event in Auckland, pointing to his city’s superior economic engine.
But Super Rugby Pacific organisers should block out the noise and do the right thing.
It’s Christchurch’s turn. The city has been through some trauma in the past 15 years but all you could see in the stands of the new One New Zealand Stadium were smiling faces.
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When the weekend of rugby wrapped up, Super Rugby Pacific chief executive Jack Mesley revealed it was Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge who initiated the conversation about taking Super Round to Christchurch in the first place.
Taking it away from Christchurch now would be an appalling lack of judgment, even if Auckland does stitch together a more lucrative bid.
Of course, due process must be followed because Super Rugby Pacific needs to keep all potential future hosts happy.
But rugby bosses can’t seriously be contemplating moving the event away from Christchurch after this year’s success.
But the sooner that Christchurch is locked in for the next few years the better, because there is change coming to Super Round in any case.
It is now almost certain that an Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup test will take place in Australia next year.
Furthermore, there is every chance that New Zealand Rugby will take the alternate test overseas in 2028 - most likely to the United States.
The NZ Rugby board will discuss the Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup details on Thursday, although it is unlikely to be given the official green light at that meeting.
The upshot is that Super Round will be on the move from the Anzac weekend, more likely to later in the Super Rugby season.
Christchurch and the Crusaders will need as much time as possible to sell the new time slot to rugby supporters, particularly those coming from across the ditch.
Indeed, organisers of this year’s Super Round pointed to a long lead-in time as one of the reasons that it was such a success.
Potential visitors to the city need to be given as much time as possible to plan the trip, especially as there might be some early pushback against the shift away from the convenient Anzac Day weekend.
Also, will rugby fans’ budgets stretch to two big events during the Super Rugby season?
A punter in Canberra or Sydney might opt for an Anzac Day test in Perth or Brisbane ahead of the Super Round on a chilly King’s Birthday weekend in the South Island.
Given the disruption that will be caused by an Anzac Day Bledisloe test, there is no guarantee that Super Round in 2027 will be as successful as it was this year.
That said, the Crusaders and Christchurch deserve first swing at it.
At the time of writing, the Crusaders-Blues game on Friday evening was on track to be another sold-out crowd at the exciting new venue in Christchurch.
Super Round in Christchurch needs to be sold while it’s still at the top of the market.