The 2021 Super Rugby AU season (branded as Harvey Norman Super Rugby AU for sponsorship reasons) was a professional club rugby union tournament organised by Rugby Australia. Announced on 11 November 2020, the tournament was the second season of Super Rugby AU, featuring the same 5 teams from the inaugural 2020 season, and ran from 19 February to 8 May 2021. The tournament was won by the , who defeated the 19–16 in the final at Suncorp Stadium, winning their first Super Rugby AU title, and first Super Rugby competition since 2011.

The tournament ran parallel to New Zealand's 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa season, and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman followed the conclusion of both seasons, a crossover tournament featuring each Australian team playing each New Zealand team once, followed by a final.

Law variations The 2021 season of Super Rugby AU saw changes to kick-offs and restarts, with a free kick awarded if the a kickoff had not taken place 30 seconds following the opposition scoring, a restart was kicked out on the full or if teammates of the kicker were not behind the ball. The free kick took place at half way. These rules were similar to those that were being used in Rugby sevens. Also the 'Golden point' law brought in during the 2020 season as tweaked so that full-time would only occur after a try was scored, rather than any form of points. Penalties and drop goals still counted towards the score during extra time, but would not end the game, with play only ending if a try was scored or the 10-minute extra time period ended. All other law changes from the 2020 season also occurred in the 2021 season.

Regular season Standings

Round-by-round The table below shows each team's progression throughout the season. For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets: Team progression Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 QF GF 4 (2nd) 9 (1st) 14 (1st) 15 (1st) 15 (2nd) 20 (2nd) 24 (2nd) 25 (2nd) 29 (2nd) 29 (2nd) Won Lost 0 (4th) 0 (4th) 4 (3rd) 5 (4th) 6 (4th) 6 (4th) 6 (4th) 10 (4th) 14 (3rd) 18 (3rd) Lost 0 (3rd) 1 (3rd) 2 (4th) 6 (3rd) 10 (3rd) 10 (3rd) 10 (3rd) 11 (3rd) 12 (4th) 16 (4th) 5 (1st) 9 (2nd) 9 (2nd) 13 (2nd) 18 (1st) 23 (1st) 28 (1st) 32 (1st) 32 (1st) 33 (1st) Won 0 (5th) 0 (5th) 1 (5th) 1 (5th) 1 (5th) 1 (5th) 2 (5th) 2 (5th) 3 (5th) 3 (5th) Key: Win Draw Loss Bye DNQ = Did not qualify

Match grid

Matches Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Finals Bracket

Qualifying final

Grand Final

FB 15 Bryce Hegarty RW 14 Jordan Petaia OC 13 Josh Flook IC 12 Hamish Stewart LW 11 Jock Campbell FH 10 James O'Connor (c) SH 9 Tate McDermott N8 8 Harry Wilson OF 7 Fraser McReight BF 6 Angus Scott-Young RL 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto LL 4 Ryan Smith TP 3 Taniela Tupou HK 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa LP 1 Feao Fotuaika Substitutes: HK 16 Alex Mafi PR 17 Dane Zander PR 18 Zane Nonggorr LK 19 Seru Uru LF 20 Liam Wright SH 21 Kalani Thomas CE 22 Isaac Henry OB 23 Filipo Daugunu Coach:Brad Thorn FB 15 Tom Banks RW 14 Andy Muirhead OC 13 Len Ikitau IC 12 Irae Simone LW 11 Tom Wright FH 10 Noah Lolesio SH 9 Nic White N8 8 Rob Valetini OF 7 Rory Scott BF 6 Nick Frost RL 5 Cadeyrn Neville LL 4 Darcy Swain TP 3 Allan Alaalatoa (c) HK 2 Lachlan Lonergan LP 1 Scott Sio Substitutes: HK 16 Folau Fainga'a PR 17 Harry Lloyd PR 18 Tom Ross LF 19 Henry Stowers LF 20 Luke Reimer SH 21 Ryan Lonergan FH 22 Reesjan Pasitoa OB 23 Mack Hansen Coach:Dan McKellar Man of the Match: James O'Connor (Reds)

Assistant Referees: Damon Murphy (Queensland) Amy Perrett (New South Wales) Television match official: James Leckie (New South Wales)

Statistics

Leading point scorers No. Player Team Points Average Details 1 James O'Connor 121 13.44 1 , 25 , 22 , 0 2 Matt To'omua 102 12.75 1 , 8 , 27 , 0 3 Noah Lolesio 84 8.40 2 , 24 , 9 , 0 4 Domingo Miotti 46 9.20 0 , 5 , 11 , 1 5 Will Harrison 39 6.50 1 , 4 , 8 , 0 6 Tom Banks 30 3.00 6 , 0 , 0 , 0 Alex Mafi 30 3.33 6 , 0 , 0 , 0 8 Ben Donaldson 25 12.50 0 , 5 , 5 , 0 Ryan Lonergan 25 3.13 0 , 8 , 3 , 0 Taniela Tupou 25 3.13 5 , 0 , 0 , 0 Source: Points

Leading try scorers No. Player Team Tries Average 1 Tom Banks 6 0.60 Alex Mafi 6 0.67 3 Taniela Tupou 5 0.56 4 Filipo Daugunu 4 0.50 Folau Fainga'a 4 0.50 Jordan Olowofela 4 0.80 Hunter Paisami 4 0.50 Tom Wright 4 0.80 9 Jock Campbell 3 0.38 Mack Hansen 3 0.30 Len Ikitau 3 0.30 Feleti Kaitu'u 3 0.33 Andy Muirhead 3 0.30 Jack Maddocks 3 0.38 Source: Tries

Discipline PlayerTeam Red Yellow Round (vs. Opponent) Toni Pulu 1 1 Qualifier (vs. ) Round 10 (vs. ) Allan Alaalatoa 1 0 Round 3 (vs. ) Tom Cusack 1 0 Round 7 (vs. ) Pone Fa'amausili 1 0 Round 10 (vs. ) Feao Fotuaika 1 0 Round 2 (vs. ) Ross Haylett-Petty 1 0 Round 4 (vs. ) Isi Naisarani 1 0 Round 10 (vs. ) Izaia Perese 1 0 Round 1 (vs. ) Andrew Ready 1 0 Round 3 (vs. ) James Hanson 0 2 Round 3 (vs. ) Round 10 (vs. ) Tevita Kuridrani 0 2 Round 6 (vs. ) Round 10 (vs. ) Trevor Hosea 0 1 Round 9 (vs. ) Kane Koteka 0 1 Round 8 (vs. ) Marika Koroibete 0 1 Round 9 (vs. ) Harry Lloyd 0 1 Round 6 (vs. ) Andy Muirhead 0 1 Round 3 (vs. ) Zane Nonggorr 0 1 Round 6 (vs. ) Jordan Petaia 0 1 Round 10 (vs. ) Luke Reimer 0 1 Final (vs. ) Rory Scott 0 1 Round 7 (vs. ) Hugh Sinclair 0 1 Round 6 (vs. ) James Slipper 0 1 Round 1 (vs. ) Darcy Swain 0 1 Final (vs. ) Lachlan Swinton 0 1 Round 9 (vs. ) Jeremy Thrush 0 1 Round 10 (vs. ) Rob Valetini 0 1 Final (vs. )

Players Squads The following 2021 Super Rugby AU squads have been named. Players listed in italics denote non-original squad members.

+ squad Forwards Allan Alaalatoa • Jahrome Brown • Tom Cusack • Folau Fainga'a • Nick Frost • Archer Holz • Tom Hooper • Fred Kaihea • Sefo Kautai • Harry Lloyd • Lachlan Lonergan • Connal McInerney • Will Miller • Cadeyrn Neville • Billy Pollard • Luke Reimer • Tom Ross • Pete Samu • Rory Scott • Scott Sio • James Slipper • Henry Stowers • Darcy Swain • James Tucker • Rob Valetini Backs Lachlan Albert • Tom Banks • Issak Fines • Mack Hansen • Len Ikitau • Solomone Kata • Bayley Kuenzle • Noah Lolesio • Ryan Lonergan • Andy Muirhead • Reesjan Pasitoa • Irae Simone • Reece Tapine • Nic White • Tom Wright Coach Dan McKellar

+ squad Forwards Bo Abra • Tim Anstee • Ollie Callan • Victor Harris • Chris Heiberg • Greg Holmes • Feleti Kaitu'u • Kane Koteka • Fergus Lee-Warner • Tomás Lezana • Kieran Longbottom • Ryan McCauley • Santiago Medrano • Jackson Pugh • Andrew Ready • Tom Robertson • Brynard Stander • Jeremy Thrush • Sitaleki Timani • Angus Wagner • Jack Winchester Backs Marcel Brache • Tomás Cubelli • Kyle Godwin • Richard Kahui • Rob Kearney • Tevita Kuridrani • Brad Lacey • Jono Lance • Grason Makara • Michael McDonald • Jack McGregor • Jake McIntyre • Domingo Miotti • Jordan Olowofela • Jonah Placid • Ian Prior • Toni Pulu • Byron Ralston • Jake Strachan • Henry Taefu Coach Tim Sampson

+ squad Forwards Albert Anae • Ignacio Calas • Ed Craig • Steve Cummins • Cabous Eloff • Pone Fa'amausili • Matt Gibbon • James Hanson • Richard Hardwick • Ross Haylett-Petty • Trevor Hosea • Isaac Aedo Kailea • Josh Kemeny • Rob Leota • Isi Naisarani • Tom Nowlan • Cameron Orr • Jeral Skelton • Lucio Sordoni • Jordan Uelese • Rhys van Nek • Michael Wells • Brad Wilkin Backs Lachie Anderson • Carter Gordon • Dane Haylett-Petty • Reece Hodge • Lewis Holland • Stacey Ili • Marika Koroibete • Frank Lomani • Campbell Magnay • Tom Pincus • Joe Powell • Theo Strang • Matt To'omua • James Tuttle • Glen Vaihu • Ilikena Vudogo • Young Tonumaipea • George Worth Coach David Wessels

+ squad Forwards Richie Asiata • Angus Blyth • Matt Faessler • Feao Fotuaika • Ben Grant • Harry Hoopert • Alex Mafi • Fraser McReight • Josh Nasser • Zane Nonggorr • Brandon Paenga-Amosa • Lukhan Salakaia-Loto • Angus Scott-Young • Ryan Smith • Tuaina Taii Tualima • Taniela Tupou • Seru Uru • Sam Wallis • Harry Wilson • Liam Wright • Dane Zander Backs Jock Campbell • Hudson Creighton • Lawson Creighton • Filipo Daugunu • Ilaisa Droasese • Josh Flook • Mac Grealy • Bryce Hegarty • Isaac Henry • Tate McDermott • James O'Connor • Hunter Paisami • Jordan Petaia • Moses Sorovi • Hamish Stewart • Kalani Thomas • Suliasi Vunivalu Coach Brad Thorn

+ squad Forwards Robbie Abel • Angus Bell • Darcy Breen • Sam Caird • Joe Cotton • Jack Dempsey • Max Douglas • Tetera Faulkner • George Francis • Charlie Gamble • Will Harris • Tom Horton • Harry Johnson-Holmes • Dave Porecki • Hugh Sinclair • Lachlan Swinton • Chris Talakai • Alefosio Tatola • Tiaan Tauakipulu • Carlo Tizzano • Jack Whetton • Jeremy Williams • Michael Wood • Sam Wykes Backs Ben Donaldson • Tane Edmed • Lalakai Foketi • Jake Gordon • Jack Grant • Will Harrison • Jack Maddocks • Tepai Moeroa • Mark Nawaqanitawase • Alex Newsome • Izaia Perese • James Ramm • Triston Reilly • Henry Robertson • Joey Walton Coach Jason Gilmore • Rob Penney • Chris Whitaker

Referees The following referees were selected to officiate the 2021 Super Rugby AU season:

+ 2021 Super Rugby AU referees

Notes

References

External links