August 11, 2025 • 9 mins
Christchurch's new stadium is set for quite the opening event!
Four days after Te Kaha's scheduled opening, it'll host five Super Rugby matches for the 'Super Round'.
Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley spoke to Jason Pine on Sportstalk.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Christ Church is new Takaha Stadium is going to host
Super Rugby's Super Round across Anzac weekend of next year.
It'll be the first sporting event at the new venue,
just one week after it officially opens. The Crusaders will
play the first game against an as yet unconfirmed opponent
on the night of Friday, April twenty fourth. The Hurricanes
(00:33):
will play the Brumbies and the Blues will meet the
Reds on the Saturday, and there will be another doubleheader
on the Sunday. Super Round did not feature in Super
Rugby's schedule this year. It was played in Melbourne from
twenty twenty two to twenty twenty four. Super Rugby Pacific
CEO Jack Bensley was in christ Church for the announcement
today and he joins us now on Sports Talk. Jack,
(00:53):
thanks for for your time. How can wire you to
get Super Round back on the Super Rugby calendar?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Koda Parney, Yeah, really came. I think rugby, as you know, mate,
as a touring is part of part of rugby and
we know fans across the Pacific love to love to
tour and go and watch rugby games, so it makes
sense for us. It also just gives us a really
(01:19):
big round that we can really focus on drive visibility
and interest in Super Rugby Pacific and just a great
opportunity to bring everyone together.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
How long have the discussions been going on with the
relevant parties in christ Church to get us to the
announcement today?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, I mean some months. You know, well I've been
enrolled just over twelve months now, and you know, getting
Super Round back on the agenda was one thing that
we identified early. We had conversations with a number of
different territories, you know, another number of different cities across Australia,
(01:58):
in New Zealand and also into the Pacific, and you know,
christ Church right from the outset have just been really
engaged in those discussions and we worked really closely together
to get us to the point now that we can
we can announce it. And you know, I think just
the the kind of beauty of it being the new
(02:19):
stadium a and that long weekend, you know, it all
kind of fell together just to make a lot of sense.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We think you were there this morning at the new venue,
still construction going on obviously, so high version hard hats,
no doubt. But how's it looking.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, it's looking a lot better than I do in
high vision hard hat. Let's put it out. Yeah it is.
It's going to be unbelievable, bunny. I mean, we were
up a few levels where we did the prece event
this morning and you are on the sideline, so there
is not a bad seat in the house. To be undercover.
(02:58):
Is just going to make such a difference for all
of those Cantabrians that have been braving the cold out
of the Pollo and you know, just a short strip
from the city. I mean, you know, wonderful bars and
restaurants just down the road. So yeah, all of those
things combined, and you know, I mean Crusaders being our
(03:19):
our champions and the most successful Super Hugby team. You know,
they are a world class franchise and they're going to
have a world class day here and that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Initially this is just a one year deal. Are you
keen for it to be a longer term proposition?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah? We want this as a as a marquee event
in our in our fixture, in our draw every year,
so you know, we'll continue to work hard to try
to make that a reality. You know, as I mentioned,
we've talked to a lot of other states and regions
about about hosting this and we'll continue to have those
(03:54):
those discussions. But you know, we're really thankful that you know,
the city here is as working with us to make
this a reality.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, there you find folk of the Crusader's region, no doubt,
all turn up in big numbers. Jack, But do you
expect a significant number of traveling fans from New Zealand,
from Australia, potentially from the Pacific Islands if the drawer
are involved, you think there'll be an influx of rugby fans,
not just those who live in the region.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yeah, I mean that's the hope. And you know, the
one of the rationaless for us announcing this, this is
the first set of announcement for twenty twenty six super
Agia specific is to enable people to put it in
their diaries and start thinking about that, because we know travelings,
you know, it's not easy, it's not cheap, So we
want we want people to start having a think about that.
(04:42):
And if they're ever thinking about, you know, going to
an away game, or maybe they've got a boy's golf
tour or a Premiership reunion or any of those sorts
of things. Start to think about, well, maybe maybe lining
that up with a long weekend in christ Church could
be a good idea. We know from Melbourne, you know,
super Round did attract a lot of a lot of
(05:04):
people from across the Tasman, a lot of New Zealanders
went over and a lot of people from New Southwest
and Victoria had traveled down. So we're pretty confident that,
you know, with a really strong local supporter base, you know,
sort of you know, adding a lot of weight to
to what we'll see in stadium, it's going to be
a great atmosphere and that'll be topped up by people
(05:25):
coming from all over New Zealand and Australia as well.
And you know, I think the interesting thing is that,
you know, there's so many Cantabrians living in in Auckland,
There's so many Gabrians living in Sydney. So you know,
I think it's wrong to assume that, you know, we
don't have we don't have fans from all teams living
in all of our great cities around the Pacific.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Fair to say that super Round never really worked in
Melbourne to the extent that I'm sure the organizers then
would have hoped. Are there any lessons to be taken
from that?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Yeah? I think so, you know, I do know you
know from from what from speaking with the organizers that
you know, one thing that did work was they'd get
the travelers. So whilst the stadiums were nowhere near as
full as anyone would have liked, there was a pretty
good critical mass of travelers, right, And that's what you know,
(06:18):
funds these these sorts of projects for all of the codes.
So so we've we've got to continue to focus on that.
And then you know, I think it's about making it
a complete event, and our discussions with the city here
and the venue and the Crusaders is all about making
sure that when you come to christ Church for souper around,
(06:40):
you know, you feel that you're part of an event
all the way through the city, whether that's down at Riverside,
whether that's in the precinct of the stadium or in
the stadium. So we're really working on that, on that
sort of coordinated approach so that you know, when people come,
they'll have a they'll have a holistic experience, and we
really hope people come for that experience, but also then
(07:02):
you know, go and spend a few days seeing seeing
the Reds and enjoying all that christ shirts and Canterbury
and Surrounds has to.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Offer super Pacific of courses and eleven team competition, so
one team will have the buy challenging conversation telling one
team that they're not coming to super Round.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Yeah, well, you know, the whole drawer is one big
challenging conversation and all the teams this is another element. Yeah,
and discussions with the clubs is that the clubs are
super excited to have this back. So yeah, it's a
shame that not everyone can be there, but yeah, we'll
(07:42):
look to try to get this as a regular part
of the fixture and make sure that we rotate that round.
All right.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
So, as I said at the start, Crusader's going to
open up on Friday night, their opponent to be confirmed,
then the Trans Tasman double header on the Saturday, another
double hitter Sunday. When will the full draw not just
for super Round Jack but for the twenty twenty sixth
season be out.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
In the coming weeks. Yeah, we're working hard. We're pretty
close to close to that, so yeah, I'm in the
full details, you know, starting date, end date, grand final
date and the full full draw should be coming coming
pretty soon and we've been working hard on that and
that'll be well ahead of where we've released it in
(08:25):
previous years, which we're excited about. But yeah, I think
just the on the super Round fixturing. Yeah, we see
that Friday night sort of being an opening party night,
going to be high energy. And then on the Saturday,
and the reason why we have sort of confirmed those
fixtures on the Saturdays because they're out of the traditional
and that day matches and we're we're really trying to
(08:48):
get in behind those matches and each year and make
them very special as we celebrate that connection between our
between Australia and New Zealand and recognize recognizing that day.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Very exciting weekend and prospect April twenty four, five and
twenty six of next year, Jack, congratulations on getting this
across the line and confirmed. I know you're going to
be there. I'm going to do everything in my power
to be bringing weekend Sport from to the listeners from
Christchurch across ans Ex weekend next weekend too. So I
appreciate you taking the time for a chat today.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
No worries mate, We love love seeing you at the
Grand Final and yeah we'll look forward to catching up
again in Christ j Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
That'd be great Jack JNS. Indeed, thanks for your time, Jack, Missley,
CEO of Super Rugby Pacific. With confirmation super Round's headed
to Christ your chance ac day next weekend, next weekend
next year. Sorry I think I said next weekend to
Jack during that interview too, next year of course.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Christ Church is new Takaha Stadium is going to host
Super Rugby's Super Round across Anzac weekend of next year.
It'll be the first sporting event at the new venue,
just one week after it officially opens. The Crusaders will
play the first game against an as yet unconfirmed opponent
on the night of Friday, April twenty fourth. The Hurricanes
(00:33):
will play the Brumbies and the Blues will meet the
Reds on the Saturday, and there will be another doubleheader
on the Sunday. Super Round did not feature in Super
Rugby's schedule this year. It was played in Melbourne from
twenty twenty two to twenty twenty four. Super Rugby Pacific
CEO Jack Bensley was in christ Church for the announcement
today and he joins us now on Sports Talk. Jack,
(00:53):
thanks for for your time. How can wire you to
get Super Round back on the Super Rugby calendar?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Koda Parney, Yeah, really came. I think rugby, as you know, mate,
as a touring is part of part of rugby and
we know fans across the Pacific love to love to
tour and go and watch rugby games, so it makes
sense for us. It also just gives us a really
(01:19):
big round that we can really focus on drive visibility
and interest in Super Rugby Pacific and just a great
opportunity to bring everyone together.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
How long have the discussions been going on with the
relevant parties in christ Church to get us to the
announcement today?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, I mean some months. You know, well I've been
enrolled just over twelve months now, and you know, getting
Super Round back on the agenda was one thing that
we identified early. We had conversations with a number of
different territories, you know, another number of different cities across Australia,
(01:58):
in New Zealand and also into the Pacific, and you know,
christ Church right from the outset have just been really
engaged in those discussions and we worked really closely together
to get us to the point now that we can
we can announce it. And you know, I think just
the the kind of beauty of it being the new
(02:19):
stadium a and that long weekend, you know, it all
kind of fell together just to make a lot of sense.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We think you were there this morning at the new venue,
still construction going on obviously, so high version hard hats,
no doubt. But how's it looking.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, it's looking a lot better than I do in
high vision hard hat. Let's put it out. Yeah it is.
It's going to be unbelievable, bunny. I mean, we were
up a few levels where we did the prece event
this morning and you are on the sideline, so there
is not a bad seat in the house. To be undercover.
(02:58):
Is just going to make such a difference for all
of those Cantabrians that have been braving the cold out
of the Pollo and you know, just a short strip
from the city. I mean, you know, wonderful bars and
restaurants just down the road. So yeah, all of those
things combined, and you know, I mean Crusaders being our
(03:19):
our champions and the most successful Super Hugby team. You know,
they are a world class franchise and they're going to
have a world class day here and that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Initially this is just a one year deal. Are you
keen for it to be a longer term proposition?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah? We want this as a as a marquee event
in our in our fixture, in our draw every year,
so you know, we'll continue to work hard to try
to make that a reality. You know, as I mentioned,
we've talked to a lot of other states and regions
about about hosting this and we'll continue to have those
(03:54):
those discussions. But you know, we're really thankful that you know,
the city here is as working with us to make
this a reality.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, there you find folk of the Crusader's region, no doubt,
all turn up in big numbers. Jack, But do you
expect a significant number of traveling fans from New Zealand,
from Australia, potentially from the Pacific Islands if the drawer
are involved, you think there'll be an influx of rugby fans,
not just those who live in the region.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yeah, I mean that's the hope. And you know, the
one of the rationaless for us announcing this, this is
the first set of announcement for twenty twenty six super
Agia specific is to enable people to put it in
their diaries and start thinking about that, because we know travelings,
you know, it's not easy, it's not cheap, So we
want we want people to start having a think about that.
(04:42):
And if they're ever thinking about, you know, going to
an away game, or maybe they've got a boy's golf
tour or a Premiership reunion or any of those sorts
of things. Start to think about, well, maybe maybe lining
that up with a long weekend in christ Church could
be a good idea. We know from Melbourne, you know,
super Round did attract a lot of a lot of
(05:04):
people from across the Tasman, a lot of New Zealanders
went over and a lot of people from New Southwest
and Victoria had traveled down. So we're pretty confident that,
you know, with a really strong local supporter base, you know,
sort of you know, adding a lot of weight to
to what we'll see in stadium, it's going to be
a great atmosphere and that'll be topped up by people
(05:25):
coming from all over New Zealand and Australia as well.
And you know, I think the interesting thing is that,
you know, there's so many Cantabrians living in in Auckland,
There's so many Gabrians living in Sydney. So you know,
I think it's wrong to assume that, you know, we
don't have we don't have fans from all teams living
in all of our great cities around the Pacific.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Fair to say that super Round never really worked in
Melbourne to the extent that I'm sure the organizers then
would have hoped. Are there any lessons to be taken
from that?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Yeah? I think so, you know, I do know you
know from from what from speaking with the organizers that
you know, one thing that did work was they'd get
the travelers. So whilst the stadiums were nowhere near as
full as anyone would have liked, there was a pretty
good critical mass of travelers, right, And that's what you know,
(06:18):
funds these these sorts of projects for all of the codes.
So so we've we've got to continue to focus on that.
And then you know, I think it's about making it
a complete event, and our discussions with the city here
and the venue and the Crusaders is all about making
sure that when you come to christ Church for souper around,
(06:40):
you know, you feel that you're part of an event
all the way through the city, whether that's down at Riverside,
whether that's in the precinct of the stadium or in
the stadium. So we're really working on that, on that
sort of coordinated approach so that you know, when people come,
they'll have a they'll have a holistic experience, and we
really hope people come for that experience, but also then
(07:02):
you know, go and spend a few days seeing seeing
the Reds and enjoying all that christ shirts and Canterbury
and Surrounds has to.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Offer super Pacific of courses and eleven team competition, so
one team will have the buy challenging conversation telling one
team that they're not coming to super Round.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Yeah, well, you know, the whole drawer is one big
challenging conversation and all the teams this is another element. Yeah,
and discussions with the clubs is that the clubs are
super excited to have this back. So yeah, it's a
shame that not everyone can be there, but yeah, we'll
(07:42):
look to try to get this as a regular part
of the fixture and make sure that we rotate that round.
All right.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
So, as I said at the start, Crusader's going to
open up on Friday night, their opponent to be confirmed,
then the Trans Tasman double header on the Saturday, another
double hitter Sunday. When will the full draw not just
for super Round Jack but for the twenty twenty sixth
season be out.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
In the coming weeks. Yeah, we're working hard. We're pretty
close to close to that, so yeah, I'm in the
full details, you know, starting date, end date, grand final
date and the full full draw should be coming coming
pretty soon and we've been working hard on that and
that'll be well ahead of where we've released it in
(08:25):
previous years, which we're excited about. But yeah, I think
just the on the super Round fixturing. Yeah, we see
that Friday night sort of being an opening party night,
going to be high energy. And then on the Saturday,
and the reason why we have sort of confirmed those
fixtures on the Saturdays because they're out of the traditional
and that day matches and we're we're really trying to
(08:48):
get in behind those matches and each year and make
them very special as we celebrate that connection between our
between Australia and New Zealand and recognize recognizing that day.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Very exciting weekend and prospect April twenty four, five and
twenty six of next year, Jack, congratulations on getting this
across the line and confirmed. I know you're going to
be there. I'm going to do everything in my power
to be bringing weekend Sport from to the listeners from
Christchurch across ans Ex weekend next weekend too. So I
appreciate you taking the time for a chat today.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
No worries mate, We love love seeing you at the
Grand Final and yeah we'll look forward to catching up
again in Christ j Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
That'd be great Jack JNS. Indeed, thanks for your time, Jack, Missley,
CEO of Super Rugby Pacific. With confirmation super Round's headed
to Christ your chance ac day next weekend, next weekend
next year. Sorry I think I said next weekend to
Jack during that interview too, next year of course.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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