Super Rugby is the Southern Hemisphere's top international club rugby competition. Since its inception in 1996, it has provided thrilling matches and exceptional rugby.
The competition, which has teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, and Japan, has changed a lot over time, resulting in an interesting mix of champions.
Here's a look at all the winners throughout the competition's history.
1996-2005: The Early Dominance of New Zealand Teams
When Super Rugby started in 1996, most of the early years were dominated by teams from New Zealand.
The earlier Super 6 and Super 10 competitions had been won by Queensland and Transvaal, but the Super 12 format with a dozen teams was won every year by a New Zealand team, except for the Brumbies' victory in 2001.
The other honours were shared by the Blues and the Crusaders, with the former winning back-to-back championships in 1996 and 1997.
From 1998, the Crusaders were the top team in Super Rugby, winning three in a row between 1998 and 2000.
With the league's presence in more than 5 countries during its 26 years of existence. NZ teams have won 19 titles out of 26.
During this period, teams like the Highlanders, Hurricanes, and Chiefs also made their marks in the tournament, though to a lesser extent than the Blues and the Crusaders.
Super Rugby Winners (1996–2005)
- 1996: Blues – Defeated the Sharks (45–21)
- 1997: Blues – Defeated the Brumbies (23–7)
- 1998: Crusaders – Defeated the Blues (20–13)
- 1999: Crusaders – Defeated the Highlanders (24–19)
- 2000: Crusaders – Defeated the Brumbies (20–19)
- 2001: Brumbies – Defeated the Sharks (36–6)
- 2002: Crusaders – Defeated the Brumbies (31–13)
- 2003: Blues – Defeated the Crusaders (21–17)
- 2004: Brumbies – Defeated the Crusaders (47–38)
- 2005: Crusaders – Defeated the Waratahs (35–25)
2006-2011: The Rise of South African and Australian Teams
Despite the early dominance of New Zealand franchises in the decade previous, there were challenges from the South African and Australian franchises in the competition.
The expansion from Super 12 to Super 14 and the addition of the Western Force (Australia) and the Cheetahs (South Africa) increased the competition's competitiveness and allowed teams from outside New Zealand to assert themselves.
South African teams had been known for their near misses and playoff heartbreaks, but thanks to dominant performances, they were finally able to deliver championships during this period.
The Bulls from Pretoria were the standout South African team of the era, winning three titles in 2007, 2009, and 2010. Their success was built on a powerful forward pack, tactical kicking from fly-half Morne Steyn, and the leadership of players like Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez.
Australian teams also enjoyed a resurgence during this era, with the Brumbies remaining competitive but continuing to miss out on the championship.
In 2011, the Queensland Reds broke a decade-long title drought for Australian teams. Led by coach Ewen McKenzie, stars like Quade Cooper, Will Genia, and James Horwill used exciting and fast rugby to beat the Crusaders in the final.
Super Rugby Winners (2006–2011)
- 2006: Crusaders – Defeated the Hurricanes (19–12)
- 2007: Bulls – Defeated the Sharks (20–19)
- 2008: Crusaders – Defeated the Waratahs (20–12)
- 2009: Bulls – Defeated the Chiefs (61–17)
- 2010: Bulls – Defeated the Stormers (25–17)
- 2011: Reds – Defeated the Crusaders (18–13)
2012-2019: New Zealand's Continued Dominance
From 2012 to 2019, the New Zealand teams in Super Rugby reasserted their dominance. They consistently outperformed their rivals from the other countries.
Teams like the Chiefs, Crusaders, and Highlanders won titles with superior skill, tactical intelligence, and a depth of talent. They established New Zealand as the rugby powerhouse of the Southern Hemisphere.
Under Dave Rennie, the Hamilton-based Chiefs used high-paced physical rugby to win back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, defeating the Sharks and the Brumbies, respectively.
The Highlanders won their first-ever Super Rugby title by defeating the Hurricanes in 2015. Their cohesive and gritty performance was an upset, with top players like Ben Smith, Aaron Smith, and Waisake Naholo playing key roles in the victory and campaign.
The Hurricanes also brought the Super Rugby trophy back to Wellington in 2016. After so many years of disappointment, they defeated the Lions 20-3 in the final with flair and tactical precision.
With three consecutive titles between 2017 and 2019, the Crusaders were back after eight years and re-established themselves as the competition's finest. They beat the Lions in Johannesburg in 2017 and again in Christchurch in 2018 before completing the hat trick of consecutive titles against the Jaguares in 2019.
Super Rugby Winners (2012–2019)
- 2012: Chiefs – Defeated the Sharks (37–6)
- 2013: Chiefs – Defeated the Brumbies (27–22)
- 2014: Waratahs – Defeated the Crusaders (33–32)
- 2015: Highlanders – Defeated the Hurricanes (21–14)
- 2016: Hurricanes – Defeated the Lions (20–3)
- 2017: Crusaders – Defeated the Lions (25–17)
- 2018: Crusaders – Defeated the Lions (37–18)
- 2019: Crusaders – Defeated the Jaguares (19–3)
2020-2021: The COVID-19 Pandemic
Like many other sporting events worldwide, Super Rugby was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travel restrictions, lockdowns, and the suspension of international competitions forced the abandonment of the Super Rugby format.
This means that although the 2020 Super Rugby season kicked off with 15 teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, and Japan, it was suspended indefinitely in March.
Though Super Rugby did return after the pandemic, it came back with a significantly changed format that excluded the teams from South Africa, Argentina, and Japan in favour of a more geographically coherent competition.
However, during COVID, regional competitions were played. In New Zealand, Super Rugby Aotearoa was a 10-week round-robin competition that the Crusaders won both years.
In Australia, Super Rugby AU featured five franchises. The Brumbies defeated the Reds in 2020, and the favour was returned the following year, with the Reds defeating the Brumbies. This tournament also brought back Western Force, a franchise that had previously been dropped from Super Rugby.
Seven South African teams played in the Super Rugby Unlocked tournament in South Africa. The Bulls won this single-round domestic tournament in 2020.
With so many iterations throughout the years regarding teams and league structure, it's common to see players move around.
The Tokyo-based Sunwolves were left out of these regional tournaments, and the franchise was ultimately disbanded.
A similar fate befell the Jaguares. With no competition to play in, many of the players moved to European clubs, effectively disbanding the team.
Super Rugby Winners (2020–2021)
- 2020:
- Super Rugby Aotearoa: Crusaders
- Super Rugby AU: Brumbies
- Super Rugby Unlocked: Bulls
- 2021:
- Super Rugby Aotearoa: Crusaders
- Super Rugby AU: Reds
2022-Present: Super Rugby Pacific
In 2022, Super Rugby changed significantly. The previous conference-based system was streamlined to 12 teams from New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.
The new format made the tournament more sustainable and geographically coherent. It had a single-table structure, with each team facing every other team at least once.
This made Super Rugby more competitive, with better cultural diversity from Rugby nations like New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji.
The straightforward league format and new teams have also energised fans, with many praising the vibrant atmosphere offered by the fans of the Pacific Island teams.
That said, the Crusaders remain dominant and have won the competition in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Blues were victorious in the 2024 season.
Super Rugby Pacific Champions (2022–2024)
- 2022: Crusaders – Defeated the Blues (21–7)
- 2023: Crusaders – Defeated the Chiefs (25–20)
- 2024: Blues – Defeated the Chiefs (41–10)
The Most Successful Teams in Super Rugby History
Super Rugby has seen some incredible champions throughout its history.
Certain franchises, particularly New Zealand ones, have established themselves as dominant forces.
Here are the teams that have won the most Super Rugby championships.
Crusaders – 12 Titles
- Years Won: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
Blues – 4 Titles
- Years Won: 1996, 1997, 2003, 2024
Bulls – 3 Titles
- Years Won: 2007, 2009, 2010
Chiefs – 2 Titles
- Years Won: 2012, 2013
Brumbies – 2 Titles
- Years Won: 2001, 2004
Reds – 1 Title
- Year Won: 2011
Highlanders – 1 Title
- Year Won: 2015
Hurricanes – 1 Title
- Year Won: 2016
Waratahs – 1 Title
- Year Won: 2014
Super Rugby Finals and Winners
| Year | Winning Team | Runner-Up | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Blues | Sharks | 45–21 | Auckland |
| 1997 | Blues | Brumbies | 23–7 | Auckland |
| 1998 | Crusaders | Blues | 20–13 | Auckland |
| 1999 | Crusaders | Highlanders | 24–19 | Dunedin |
| 2000 | Crusaders | Brumbies | 20–19 | Canberra |
| 2001 | Brumbies | Sharks | 36–6 | Canberra |
| 2002 | Crusaders | Brumbies | 31–13 | Christchurch |
| 2003 | Blues | Crusaders | 21–17 | Auckland |
| 2004 | Brumbies | Crusaders | 47–38 | Canberra |
| 2005 | Crusaders | Waratahs | 35–25 | Christchurch |
| 2006 | Crusaders | Hurricanes | 19–12 | Christchurch |
| 2007 | Bulls | Sharks | 20–19 | Durban |
| 2008 | Crusaders | Waratahs | 20–12 | Christchurch |
| 2009 | Bulls | Chiefs | 61–17 | Pretoria |
| 2010 | Bulls | Stormers | 25–17 | Soweto |
| 2011 | Reds | Crusaders | 18–13 | Brisbane |
| 2012 | Chiefs | Sharks | 37–6 | Hamilton |
| 2013 | Chiefs | Brumbies | 27–22 | Hamilton |
| 2014 | Waratahs | Crusaders | 33–32 | Sydney |
| 2015 | Highlanders | Hurricanes | 21–14 | Wellington |
| 2016 | Hurricanes | Lions | 20–3 | Wellington |
| 2017 | Crusaders | Lions | 25–17 | Johannesburg |
| 2018 | Crusaders | Lions | 37–18 | Christchurch |
| 2019 | Crusaders | Jaguares | 19–3 | Christchurch |
| 2020 | Crusaders | (Super Rugby Aotearoa) | – | – |
| 2021 | Crusaders / Reds | (Regional Competitions) | – | – |
| 2022 | Crusaders | Blues | 21–7 | Auckland |
| 2023 | Crusaders | Chiefs | 25–20 | Hamilton |
Super Rugby is a showcase for some of the finest talent in the southern hemisphere. From the early (and modern) dominance of teams like the Crusaders and Blues to incredible performances by teams in South Africa, every era has featured great franchises.
Though COVID temporarily suspended international club rugby, Super Rugby is back with the same high levels of competition that fans have expected.
Now, the legacy of Super Rugby continues to grow, with an unmatched level of skill, passion, and spectacle. Over the years, it has produced great teams and showcased the culture of rugby nations.
From the tactical brilliance of the teams from New Zealand to the physical rugby of the South African franchises. Now it has the flair of Pacific Island sides and the Australian teams.
The competition is a melting pot of great rugby across the southern hemisphere (and occasionally elsewhere).
The new format is helping to ensure the competition's spot at the premier club rugby in the Pacific with the capacity for other regions to copy the format of the competition and produce similar levels of great rugby.
Who knows what the future holds for Super Rugby and who the next winners will be or even which countries they'll hail from?
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