Overview
- On Wednesday organisers confirmed the 2027 competition will shrink to 10 teams and expand to a 17-week regular season with each side playing 16 games and receiving one bye.
- The finals have been rewritten so the top six still qualify but the top two get a week off and advance straight to the semifinals while 3v6 and 4v5 are sudden-death elimination games, ending the previous 'lucky loser' route.
- The calendar is set to begin around 12 February and finish in late June and will for the first time include an Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test with national squads named after Round 9, increasing early-season selection pressure.
- Australian franchises publicly backed the changes as a boost to fan interest and Wallabies pathways, while clubs and unions have flagged ongoing talks over player workloads and scheduling details.
- Organisers said the overhaul responds to Moana Pasifika's disbanding and aims to preserve audience growth after a strong Super Round in 2026, with the full 2027 draw and operational details to be released in the coming weeks.