The NSW Waratahs will embark on their 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign with a blockbuster home derby in Sydney against their arch-rivals, the Queensland Reds.
The sides will play each other in Round 1 at the NSW Waratahs home ground of Allianz Stadium in Moore Park on Friday night, 13 February with a 7.35pm kick-off time.
The 2026 season opener is a prime opportunity for NSW Waratahs fans to show their support for the side that in 2025 made great inroads in their re-build.
The NSW Waratahs, under their new Head Coach Dan McKellar, coaching team, and playing roster, placed eighth; a big improvement on their twelfth-place in 2024.
In Round 1 next year, both sides will set out to set the tone of their season with a win; and prized bragging rights between Australia’s two oldest rugby States.
In 2025, the Queensland Reds defeated the NSW Waratahs 35-15 in the first of their two clashes at Suncorp Stadium on in Round 5 on 15 March.
In the second clash at Allianz Stadium in Round 13 on 9 May, the NSW Waratahs again lost, but the game finished with a nail-biting 21-28 to the Queensland Reds.
But when the two sides line up in their 2026 Super Rugby Pacific opener, the ledger will be clean and the fight for the Bob Templeton Cup will again be up for grabs.
“It's good for the competition that we're starting with a game of such significance,” McKellar said.
“Round 1 … New South Wales versus Queensland. I don't think it gets any bigger than that.
“It’s a rivalry that goes back more than a hundred years [to 1882], and one that the fans will get excited about in 2026.”
The NSW Waratahs will plan to step up a gear from where they left in their last game at Allianz Stadium, when they took on the British & Irish Lions in a thriller.
The NSW Waratahs narrowly lost before a packed house, but their spirit and fearless display gave fans every reason to believe the side will step up in 2026.
“What we saw against the Lions was a transfer of what we've been working on within our game,” McKellar said.
“Now the challenge over the next few months is to continue to enhance that and make sure we get consistency of that through our performance in 2026.
“It'll be a real challenge for us on 13 February against Queensland.”
To get on board with the NSW Waratahs in 2026 there’s no better way than by becoming a NSW Waratahs member. For memberships click HERE
