While the Reds have already claimed the Australian conference top spot before the last round of Super Rugby this weekend, the race is still firmly on for New Zealand and South African front-runners. The Blues and Crusaders will be fighting it out to the final whistle to grab top honors along with an especially made conference trophy that was unveiled today. The Blues will first take on the eighth-placed Highlanders in Auckland on Friday night, while the Crusaders play technically a home game against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.
This year's competition format change has led to the introduction of a 'family' of silverware which includes a brand new Super Rugby champions trophy for the overall winner along with the three Conference winners' trophies. The new Super Rugby champions' trophy will be unveiled in the next few weeks.
SANZAR CEO Greg Peters said today the new trophies are necessary to acknowledge each conference winner. "With the introduction of a Conference system it was pertinent that the respective winners be presented with a trophy for their achievements," said Peters. He added that the new format allows for upsets near the end of the tournament rather than the predictability of past years. "The new finals format, with six teams involved, also means that a non-Conference winner could claim overall honours and the Super Rugby champions' trophy."
The shape of the trophy is cantered around three curved legs, representing the three Conferences. The Conference trophies contain panels inside the legs that correspond to the respective country; gold for Australia, black for New Zealand, and green for South Africa. "The chosen trophy design reflects the core elements of Rugby - tradition, physical toughness, camaraderie, and skill," said Peters.
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