The opening round of matches in the 2003 Super 12 commences on Friday February 21 and will feature five local derbies.

And it will take until the final round of the season for the Brumbies to get an opportunity to avenge the 2002 Vodafone Super 12 final loss to the Crusaders when the team from Canterbury travels to Canberra.

Elsewhere, the South African Super 12 franchises will once again be under pressure to improve their form away from home with long stints awaiting them.

Four-time winners and defending champions the Crusaders will kick off the tournament with a home game against the Hurricanes in Christchurch on February 21.

The final is scheduled for Saturday 24 May.

Date Day Match Venue Kick-Off
Week 1 21 February Friday Chiefs vs Highlanders Hamilton 1935
21 February Friday Waratahs vs Blues Sydney 1940
21 February Friday Cats vs Bulls Bloemfontein 1705
21 February Friday Stormers vs Sharks Cape Town 1910
22 February Saturday Crusaders vs Hurricanes Christchurch 1935
22 February Saturday Reds vs Brumbies Brisbane 1840

Week 2 28 February Friday Crusaders vs Reds Christchurch 1935
01 March Saturday Highlanders vs Stormers Dunedin 1435
01 March Saturday Hurricanes vs Bulls Napier 1735
01 March Saturday Chiefs vs Blues Hamilton 1935
01 March Saturday Sharks vs Brumbies Durban 1705
01 March Saturday Cats vs Waratahs Bloemfontein 1910

Week 3 07 March Friday Highlanders vs Bulls Invercargill 1800
07 March Friday Hurricanes vs Stormers Wellington 2000
07 March Friday Cats vs Brumbies Johannesburg 1910
08 March Saturday Chiefs vs Reds Hamilton 1735
08 March Saturday Blues vs Crusaders Albany 1935
08 March Saturday Sharks vs Waratahs Durban 1705

Week 4 14 March Friday Crusaders vs Chiefs Christchurch 1935
14 March Friday Brumbies vs Stormers Canberra 1940
14 March Friday Sharks vs Hurricanes Durban 1910
15 March Saturday Waratahs vs Bulls Sydney 1940
15 March Saturday Cats vs Highlanders Johannesburg 1705
Blues / Reds BYE

Week 5 21 March Friday Blues vs Reds TBA 1900
21 March Friday Waratahs vs Stormers Sydney 2000
21 March Friday Sharks vs Highlanders Durban 1910
22 March Saturday Brumbies vs Bulls Canberra 1940
22 March Saturday Cats vs Hurricanes Bloemfontein 1705
Chiefs / Crusaders BYE

Week 6 28 March Friday Blues vs Brumbies TBA 1935
29 March Saturday Highlanders vs Crusaders Dunedin 1700
29 March Saturday Hurricanes vs Chiefs Wellington 1905
29 March Saturday Waratahs vs Reds Sydney 2010
29 March Saturday Cats vs Sharks Johannesburg 1705
Stormers / Bulls BYE

Week 7 04 April Friday Highlanders vs Blues Dunedin 1935 0735
04 April Friday Reds vs Hurricanes Brisbane 2000 1000
05 April Saturday Waratahs vs Crusaders Sydney 1940 0940
05 April Saturday Bulls vs Stormers Pretoria 1500 1300
06 April Sunday Brumbies vs Chiefs Canberra 1630 0630
Sharks / Cats BYE

Week 8 11 April Friday Hurricanes vs Waratahs Wellington 1935 0735
12 April Saturday Chiefs vs Sharks Hamilton 1730 0530
12 April Saturday Crusaders vs Cats Christchurch 1935 0735
12 April Saturday Bulls vs Blues Pretoria 1500 1300
12 April Saturday Stormers vs Reds Cape Town 1705 1505
Brumbies vs Highlanders BYE

Week 9 18 April Friday Crusaders vs Sharks Christchurch 1935 0735
18 April Friday Brumbies vs Waratahs Canberra 1940 0940
19 April Saturday Chiefs vs Cats Rotorua 1730 0530
EASTER 19 April Saturday Hurricanes vs Highlanders New Plymouth 1935 0735
19 April Saturday Stormers vs Blues Cape Town 1500 1300
19 April Saturday Bulls vs Reds Pretoria 1705 1305

Week 10 25 April Friday Highlanders vs Brumbies Dunedin 1935 0735
26 April Saturday Blues vs Sharks Auckland 1935 0735
26 April Saturday Reds vs Cats Brisbane 1940 0940
26 April Saturday Bulls vs Crusaders Pretoria 1500 1300
26 April Saturday Stormers vs Chiefs Cape Town 1705 1305
Hurricanes / Waratahs BYE

Week 11 02 May Friday Blues vs Cats Auckland 1935 0735
02 May Friday Bulls vs Chiefs Pretoria 1910 1710
03 May Saturday Highlanders vs Waratahs Dunedin 1730 0530
03 May Saturday Hurricanes vs Brumbies Wellington 1935 0735
03 May Saturday Reds vs Sharks Brisbane 1940 0940
03 May Saturday Stormers vs Crusaders Cape Town 1500 1305

Week 12 09 May Friday Blues vs Hurricanes Auckland 1935 0735
09 May Friday Brumbies vs Crusaders Canberra 1940 0940
10 May Saturday Reds vs Highlanders Brisbane 1735 0735
10 May Saturday Waratahs vs Chiefs Sydney 1940 0940
10 May Saturday Sharks vs Bulls Durban 1500 1300
10 May Saturday Stormers vs Cats Cape Town 1705 1505

Semi Final - 17 May
Final - 24 May