Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific 2026 Season Preview & Schedule
Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific 2026 Season Preview & Schedule
Here's a Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific 2026 preview with full schedule, 2025 championship results and team overview.
The Crusaders enter the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season as the reigning champions, carrying both the weight of expectation and the standard they have set for the competition.
An 11-3 regular season in 2025 was followed by another title run, reinforcing the Crusaders’ ability to peak when the stakes are highest and extending their dominance into yet another campaign.
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That championship, its first since coach Scott Robertson left for his brief stint as the All Blacks head coach, was built on consistency across the year.
Finishing second in the standings with 49 points, the Crusaders once again demonstrated their capacity to navigate a full regular season without sacrificing postseason readiness. The result added another chapter to a title list that continues to grow, further separating the Christchurch-based side from the rest of the field.
As preparations turn toward 2026, the Crusaders again rely on continuity at the top. Head coach Rob Penney remains in charge, with David Havili captaining a squad based at Apollo Projects Stadium.
This will be the last season at Apollo Projects Stadium, as Te Kaha (One New Zealand Stadium) will open April 24.
With championship expectations now firmly attached, the Crusaders begin the season measured not by contention, but by whether they can sustain their position at the summit.
Crusaders Super Rugby Schedule 2026
- Feb. 13: 1:05 a.m.: Highlanders vs. Crusaders
- Feb. 21: 9:35 p.m.: Crusaders vs. ACT Brumbies
- Feb. 28: 1:05 a.m.: Chiefs vs. Crusaders
- March 7: 1:05 a.m.: Blues vs. Crusaders
- March 14: 2:05 a.m.: Crusaders vs. Highlanders
- March 21: 2:05 a.m.: Moana Pasifika vs. Crusaders
- April 3: 2:05 a.m.: Crusaders vs. Fijian Drua
- April 11: 5:35 a.m.: Queensland Reds vs. Crusaders
- April 18: 7:55 a.m.: Western Force vs. Crusaders
- April 24: 3:35 a.m.: Crusaders vs. NSW Waratahs
- May 1: 3:05 a.m.: Hurricanes vs. Crusaders
- May 8: 3:05 a.m.: Crusaders vs. Blues
- May 22: 3:05 a.m.: Crusaders vs. Chiefs
- May 29: 3:05 a.m.: Crusaders vs. Hurricanes
What Did Crusaders Do In 2025?
The Crusaders finished second in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific standings with an 11-3 record and 49 points. They advanced through the postseason and captured the championship, closing the season as the Super Rugby Pacific champions.
2025 Super Rugby Pacific Standings
- Chiefs, 11–3 (51 points)
- Crusaders, 11–3 (49 points)
- ACT Brumbies, 9–5 (44 points)
- Hurricanes, 8–1–5 (39 points)
- Queensland Reds, 8–6 (38 points)
- Blues, 6–8 (33 points)
- Moana Pasifika, 6–8 (28 points)
- NSW Waratahs, 6–8 (26 points)
- Western Force, 4–1–9 (23 points)
- Fijian Drua, 4–10 (20 points)
- Highlanders, 3–11 (20 points)
The Crusaders Coach Is Rob Penney
Rob Penney is the head coach of the Crusaders, leading the Christchurch-based side into the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.
When Does The Super Rugby Pacific Season Start?
The 30th season of Super Rugby begins with Round 1 on Feb. 13, with the first game being in Dunedin between the Highlanders and Crusaders at 1:05 a.m. ET.
Watch The Super Rugby Pacific 2025 Archives On FloRugby
Rewatch every match of the 2025 Super Rugby season on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
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