Not since the start of professionalism way back in 1995 has there been a more exciting time for rugby union in the southern hemisphere. The region’s premier domestic competition—competed for by teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa—has had a major overhaul, a new franchise added, and the new-look Super 15 is set to be the most competitive contest in the tournament’s sixteen-year history. The main international event, the Tri Nations, will be shorter and more compact, promising a more aggressive edge than in recent years. If that wasn’t enough, the pinnacle of every professional rugby player’s dreams will either be made or broken upon the wintry fields of New Zealand as the seventh iRB Rugby World Cup kicks off in September.

2011 will be a huge year for the sport down under.

Super Rugby’s New Format

It all starts in one week, with the first regular season games in the revamped Super 15, now officially known as Super Rugby. Born in 1995 as the Super 12, this competition matured in 2006 into the Super 14 before coming of age this year with a fifteenth representative side gaining inclusion. Super Rugby consists of five franchises each from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Prior to this year the round robin stage of the tournament consisted of each team playing each other just once a season, with the top four teams making the semi finals.