THE Sharks have had a cushy draw for next year’s Super Rugby competition, with their first home game being on 10 March, when the local franchise hosts Australia’s Waratahs.
Sanzaar released the competition schedule on 20 September, and even though there is no change to the format, the Sharks have a easier draw than they did this year.
However, the complete absence of fixtures against New Zealand teams means there are not too many mouth watering fixtures on the Kings Park menu beyond the local classic derbies.
The current format dictates that one season a South African team will play only New Zealand teams, outside of the home-and-away fixtures against other teams in their pool, and then next year they play only Australian teams.
For the Sharks, it will start in Brisbane on 24 February against the Reds and then a visit to Canberra for the Brumbies on 4 March.
And that’s as far as the Australian tour is concerned, with a later once off-visit to Singapore for the Sunwolves and Buenos Aires to tackle the Jaguars.
The Sharks have been put in Africa Group 2, along with the Lions, Kings and Cheetahs.
Then they will play against the Stormers and the Bulls from the other Africa group, with both fixtures being played at home.
The Sharks will play 15 pool matches, of which eight are in Durban.
It’s the dream draw that one can ask for in terms of qualifying for the play-offs.
The qualifiers will take place on the weekend of 22 June, with the semi finals being played a week later and the final scheduled for Saturday 5 August.
Sharks Fixtures
February 24 – Reds away
March 4 – Brumbies away
March 10 – Waratahs at home
March 18 – Kings at home
March 25 – Cheetahs away
April 1 – Lions away, April 8 – Jaguares at home
Bye
April 22 – Rebels at home
April 29 – Jaguares away
May 6 – Force at home
May 13 – Kings away
May 20 – Sunwolves away
May 27 – Stormers at home
International break, July 1 – Bulls at home,
Bye
July 15 – Lions at home and Knockouts.
