Before you know it, the rugby season will be back underway!
It is now only one month until the start of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, with the Super Rugby Women’s season set to commence exactly two weeks afterwards.
With the Wallabies’ first camp of 2025 now out of the way, things are expected to get underway a lot quicker than usual in 2025 – as both the men’s and women’s sides of the game will face their biggest seasons of rugby in years.
The Wallabies will welcome the British & Irish Lions in July, before travelling to take on the current World Champions South Africa for two Tests, with Test matches against Los Pumas and the All Blacks to follow.
With a pre-Lions warm-up fixture against Fiji, the Wallabies are already set to play ten Tests in 2025 – with Autumn Nations fixtures to be confirmed.
FULL WALLABIES FIXTURE LIST<<<
The Wallaroos will also have a packed schedule, with the Rugby World Cup set to be played in England in August 2025.
Jo Yapp’s side, following their annual warm-up fixture against Fiji, will co-host the Pacific Nations series with New Zealand and an additional two-match series against Wales – culminating in seven fixtures and ten guaranteed matches for the year, pending their World Cup pool form.
FULL WALLAROOS FIXTURE LIST<<<
With such a big year, the provincial sides will be hitting the ground running with trial matches ahead of both seasons. Full details on each team can be found below.
NOTE: this page will be under heavy construction as results come through and new fixtures are announced, amended and included. Trial announcements are correct as of Monday, 13th January 2025.
Langi Gleeson. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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The Waratahs have taken one match so far on the road following the conclusion of the 2024 season, with their new-look side and coaching team playing one match against Japan Top League side Kubota Spears, winning convincingly.
The side has recently announced several doubleheader trials with their women’s side, which will see them commence on-field preparations properly with a trial against NSW Pacifica and then the Brumbies in Bowral.
Connor Vest and Tate McDermott. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)
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The Reds have been the busiest side by far since the conclusion of the 2024 Super Rugby season, taking an international flair to their fixtures. This has taken the form of matches against Wales and Tonga, before their annual Shield clash with Robbie Deans’ Panasonic Wild Knights, with the Reds prevailing on both occasions.
The side has announced a 34-man squad for their final two pre-season matches, taking the form of a European tour to England and Ireland to the Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate, before completing their tour against Les Kiss’ old side, Ulster in Belfast.
They will enjoy a week off, missing the first round of Super Rugby Pacific with the bye.
Harry Vella makes a carry against the Western Force (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)
Results: None
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At the time of writing, the Brumbies are the only side to have not played any tour matches since the end of the 2024 Super Rugby season – understandably so given that Rugby Australia took over operational control of the franchise back in August.
However, following a busy few months behind the scenes the club is set to play two trials leading up to their first match of the season, travelling to Bowral to face the Waratahs before hosting the Western Force in Canberra.
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Like the Reds, the Western Force have enjoyed a busy off-season, replicating 2023 by taking part in a development tour of South Africa, featuring many of their new arrivals. The improvement of the squad has been noted, picking up wins over the Toyota Cheetahs and Western Province, while going down in a close-fought contest with Emerging Ireland.
Following a Fan Day to commence on February 1st, the team will head to Canberra for their last trial at the time of writing, playing the Brumbies.
The Fijian Drua will be the first side to commence trials for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season. (Photo by Pita Simpson/Getty Images)
Outside of Australia, several Super Rugby teams will be undertaking trials in the lead-up to the season, with the Fijian Drua set to make history.
For the first time, the Drua will take the field against a Major League Rugby side when they host Rugby FC Los Angeles in Lautoka on January 24th in a pre-season trial.
Despite the Drua likely being favourites, LA will have ten internationally capped players to turn to, including former Wallaby Henry Speight and ten-capped flying Fijian Semi Kunatani.
“With LA hosting the next Olympics and the 2031 Rugby World Cup heading to the USA, it’s a remarkable time for Rugby in America,” said Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley.
“As a competition, we are excited by the opportunity to build stronger ties with the MLR, grow rugby in the broader Pacific region and showcase our great clubs like the Fijian Drua to new audiences.”
The match will be a momentous occasion for the American side, having only entered MLR less than twelve months ago.
“We are very grateful to the Fijian Drua and all in Fiji who have made this historic opportunity possible,” said RFCLA CEO Pete Sickle in an official statement.
“As a new franchise in a relatively new competition, we are honoured to share a Super Rugby Pacific Pitch in Fiji — a beautiful country with a passionate rugby community.
“For our players and our fans, this momentous preseason fixture reflects the substantial growth our franchise has achieved in its first twelve months.”
The Highlanders are set to return to Invercargill for their pre-season clashes. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
In other trials, all New Zealand-based sides (including Moana Pasifika) will kick off their pre-season in late January/early February, with all sides confirming two pre-season trials at various regional grounds all around the country.
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The Waratahs have enjoyed a relatively quiet season, save for the Wallaroos end of year tour and the Next Gen Sevens tournament with Queensland, which saw several players take part.
The side will commence their season preparations in a doubleheader with the men’s side against a NSW Pacifica Womens outfit, before hosting the Brumbies in Campbelltown.
Will the Reds end their losing streak over the Waratahs? (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)
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The Reds have enjoyed a busy season, with the main side playing a match against the Tongan Womens side as part of a doubleheader with the men’s team, with a development side also playing a thriller against NZ Universities, in addition to the Next Gen Sevens.
The side will enjoy one more domestic trial two weeks out from the start of the season against the ACT Brumbies, and like the men’s side, will enjoy the first round off with a bye.
Siokapesi Palu. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
Results: None
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Similar to the men, the Brumbies women have also had a quiet off-season, however, they will be set to a busy February, hopping on the road for back-to-back away fixtures against the Reds and Waratahs respectively, before a final home trial against the Fijiana Drua at GIO Stadium as a warm up to the Brumbies opening home fixture of the season.
Lucy Dinnen of the Force. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)
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Lastly, the Western Force Women enjoyed a long development tour of Japan, with four 40-minute hybrid matches and a clash against the Japanese champions Tokyo Sakyu Phoenix, narrowly going down.
At the time of writing, the Force are still to announce any trials ahead of their opening first-round clash at home against the Brumbies Women.
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