![The Brumbies will start their season in Sydney in February. Picture: Keegan Carroll The Brumbies will start their season in Sydney in February. Picture: Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/3145918d-cff7-4738-aeb3-3d482eed5293.jpg/r0_242_4729_2911_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The ACT Brumbies are set to get a round-one look at the $830 million stadium of dreams, with Super Rugby officials expected to lock in a blockbuster derby to start the 2023 season.
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In what will be a feisty start to the season, the Brumbies will likely travel to Sydney to play the NSW Waratahs to kick-off the campaign on February 24 next year.
It will also be salt in the wounds for fans who had hoped the ACT government would commit to build a new stadium in Civic, with the match to be the first Super Rugby contest at the new Sydney Football Stadium.
The draw is in the final stages of being finalised, but Waratahs coach Darren Coleman all but confirmed a NSW-ACT showdown for the opening round of the year.
The rest of the draw is expected to be made public in the coming weeks, but the second "Super Round" has been scheduled for the weekend of March 3-5.
The Brumbies will play the 2pm game on the Sunday when they take on the Auckland Blues in one of only two trans-Tasman games for the weekend.
It will be a re-match of the heartbreaking semi-final loss the Brumbies suffered at the hands of the Blues earlier this year, when a controversial no-call from the referee ended the ACT's title hopes.
Rugby officials trialled the super round concept last year, basing it off the set up in the UK Super League competition in a bid to generate fan interest.
Organisers are hoping the round-two date next year, which is before the start of the 2023 AFL and NRL seasons, will attract more fans from interstate and New Zealand.
"It was the first year of rugby running such an event and I think it was good to have everyone together in Melbourne," said Brumbies boss Phil Thomson.
"I think we certainly learnt some lessons about how we can run the weekend better and get really good engagement there. There are some learnings we'll implement to make it even more special."
The Brumbies, however, have shelved plans for a Super Rugby-NRL double-header for the immediate future after COVID-19 ruined the initial opportunity in 2020.
The Brumbies were scheduled to play the Blues at Eden Park on the same day the New Zealand Warriors were to play the Canberra Raiders at the venue for a cross-code double act.
The games were called off a week before kick-off when the COVID-19 outbreak started, but clubs had been keen to explore another chance to revive the concept before deciding to put the idea on the backburner.
The Brumbies are also close to finalising their roster for the second-coming of coach Stephen Larkham, who has returned to the capital after Dan McKellar moved into a full-time Wallabies role.
Larkham has been looking for two back-line additions - an inside centre and a versatile player who can shift between fullback and flyhalf - to bolster the squad.
Rodney Iona has signed a deal to move to Major League Rugby in the United States, but Chris Feauai-Sautia signed a new deal this week to give Larkham another inside centre option.
SUPER ROUND
March 3: Crusaders v Highlanders at 6pm, Rebels v Hurricanes at 8.10pm
March 4: Moana v Chiefs at 5.05pm, Drua v Waratahs at 7.45pm
March 5: Brumbies v Blues at 2pm, Force v Reds at 4.30pm
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