July 1 (Reuters) - Super Rugby teams will play two more regular-season games in 2027, with the top two advancing straight to the semi-finals as part of a revamped competition structure announced by organisers on Wednesday.
Each team will play 16 games in an extended 17-week regular season, with the sides finishing third to sixth going into a playoff for the right to meet the top two in the semis.
Last season, all six teams played in qualifying finals, with the three winners joined by the highest-ranked loser.
"We’re delighted to have developed a structure that pushes the limits of our competition window to deliver more games and give every fan more opportunities to see their favourite teams in action," Super Rugby CEO Jack Mesley said.
"At the same time our new-look Finals Series ensures teams will be more desperate than ever to finish in the top two to secure a week off, and the top four to host a home final, while every finals game will be a genuine do-or-die contest on the road to the championship."
The 2027 season will begin on February 12 and conclude on June 26. It will feature 10 teams after the disbanding of Moana Pasifika, with five franchises from New Zealand, four from Australia and one from Fiji.
The Wellington-based Hurricanes won their second Super Rugby title with a 60-5 thrashing of the Waikato Chiefs last month.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
