Super Rugby draw gives Waratahs’ ‘galacticos’ golden chance to hit the ground running

Waratahs fans will get their first look at Joseph Suaalii and the team’s other ‘galactico’ signings with a home Super Rugby opener on Valentine’s Day against the Highlanders.

The 2025 Super Rugby draw gives NSW no excuse for not making a strong start to the season, with the team handed three home games at Allianz Stadium against beatable opposition to open their campaign.

The Waratahs are looking to improve on a disastrous 2024 season when they finished bottom of the ladder with just two wins.

They have embarked on an aggressive recruitment campaign, with Suaalii to be joined by marquee Wallabies including Taniela Tupou, Andrew Kellaway, Isaac Kailea, Darby Lancaster and Rob Leota under new coach Dan McKellar.

The Waratahs will have the bye in round two and a Friday night fixture against the Fijian Drua on February 28 for round three, followed by a Saturday evening clash against the Force on Saturday 8 March.

The Waratahs will play all their home fixtures on either Friday or Saturday nights, with all home games at Allianz Stadium.

Former Brumbies and Leicester coach McKellar will meet up with his old Canberra colleagues in round six in Sydney.

New Super Rugby chief executive Jack Mesley will oversee an extended 16-round regular season in 2025, with the finals series moving from eight teams to six to ensure a more competitive season. There will be no Super Round next year, but the concept is set to return in 2026.

Asked about the potential to extend the season beyond the current short 16-round regular season to help build more rivalries between clubs, Mesley said he was open to the prospect.

“I think that there’s definitely a desire from our clubs to play more rugby and to have those franchises playing for longer,” Mesley said.

Wallabies and Waratahs prop Taniela Tupou have been given a kind early drawCredit: Brendan Hertel/RugbyAU Media.

“Clearly the dynamics of the global rugby calendar and the domestic local calendar in New Zealand provide some frameworks in which we operate. But there’s a lot of discussions that are going on at an international level that might provide opportunities for us to shift.

“I think it’s been publicised that they are looking at a potential shift of the Rugby Championship window to align with Six Nations ... and if things like that were to shift, then, yeah, it would provide an opportunity for Super [rugby] to be able to have a look at its timing, have a look at its competition length, all of those things.”

Mesley is three months into his role and has spent part of his time engaging with his counterparts in Japan and Europe. He revealed that there are discussions on the prospect of an international club competition using the best teams in Super Rugby.

“We’re having open discussions about opportunities like that,” Mesley said. “World club cups have been discussed, championship games have been discussed. Opportunity for more engagement and interaction with League One [in Japan].

“Clearly, we’ve had some [Super] clubs up there playing preseason games in the past [in Japan], and we have some again, coming up for League One. There are all sorts of different opportunities, pre-season and post-season that we want to capitalise on.”

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