Brumbies to face Chiefs in Super Round before clash with Nic White, Force

The final draw is set to be finalised in the coming days, with an announcement expected early next week.

SANZAAR officials unveiled the schedule for Super Round on Monday, the Brumbies to face the Waikato Chiefs on Sunday March 3.

It's understood Stephen Larkham's side will then return home for an emotional clash with the Force at Canberra Stadium.

ACT veteran Nic White departed the club at the end of the 2023 season to join the Force on a two-year deal.

While the 33-year-old will likely receive a hero's welcome in his return to Canberra, the Brumbies faithful will be hoping he doesn't turn back the clock to lead his new team past his former club.

The match will also carry additional weight given the side's quest for a home semi-final was derailed by a loss to the Force in Perth.

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The defeat forced the Brumbies into a trip to Hamilton, leading to a controversial Chiefs win.

The side won't have to wait long to atone for the defeat with the two teams to clash in an early season showdown in Melbourne.

The Super Round clash mirrors last season's schedule, in which ACT was drawn to face 2022 semi-final foes the Auckland Blues. The Brumbies successfully flipped the script, holding on to claim a 25-20 victory.

The release of next year's schedule for the three-day festival of rugby in early August provides fans seven months to prepare for the weekend and arrange travel to Melbourne.

Organisers are optimistic the 2024 edition will build on past seasons and mirror the success of the NRL's Magic Round and AFL's Gather Round.

From a steady start in 2022, the concept grew in 2023 and large crowds turned out to watch three days of exciting rugby.

The weekend has been scheduled prior to the start of the AFL season, officials hoping the clear air contributes to its success.

There are also greater plans for players to interact with fans and Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson is confident organisers have learnt plenty of lessons from the past two years.

"It will be a very good weekend," Thomson said. "We've been learning each year how to get more out of the weekend and we're looking forward to a game against the Chiefs on Sunday at 2pm."

While questions have been raised over the suitability of Melbourne for the Super Round, organisers have been quick to point to the crowd of 83,944 that turned out for the opening Bledisloe Cup clash at the MCG last month.

The challenge, however, is turning those one-off fans into repeat customers and ensuring they become loyal supporters of both the Rebels and rugby as a whole.

"Once again, Super Round will bring together the world's best rugby players in one city over one action-packed weekend," Super Rugby tournament director Matt Barlow said. "Our aim is to cater to a broader audience and warmly welcome new fans of the game, encouraging them to come and experience the thrill and passion of rugby firsthand.

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