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New era dawns for expanded Super Rugby league The 2016 Super Rugby season, the rst to feature franchises from outside Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, begins today with an expanded 18-team league. Among the newcomers are the Jaguares of Argentina and Asia’s rst representative, the Sunwolves, who will be co-based in Japan and Singapore. New Zealand’s Highlanders captured their maiden championship last year and will again be a force to be reckoned with. The Straits Times looks at all 18 teams ahead of the 21st season of the most prestigious rugby club league in the world. Dates: Every weekend from today to July 16 (with a break for international matches in June). Play-offs start on July 22, nal is on Aug 6. Available on Setanta Sports (StarHub TV Channel 217). Format: All teams will play 15 home and away matches, with two rounds of bye, across the various conferences. The winners of the four conferences qualify for the play-offs, will be seeded and have home advantage for the quarter-nals. They will be joined by four wildcard entries comprising the three next-best sides from the Australasian group and the best-placed team in the South African group. New Zealand’s Highlanders, who clinched their maiden Super Rugby title last year, will be among the favourites ahead The teams: of this season’s expanded 18-team league which begins today. AUSTRALASIAN GROUP SOUTH AFRICAN GROUP Australian conference New Zealand conference South Africa 1 conference South Africa 2 conference Brumbies Blues Bulls Southern Kings Head coach: Stephen Larkham Head coach: Tana Umaga Head coach: Nollis Marais Head coach: Deon Davids Captains: Stephen Moore, Captain: Jerome Kaino Captain: Adriaan Strauss Captain: Steven Sykes Christian Lealiifano Home ground: Eden Park, Auckland Home ground: Loftus Versfeld, Home ground: Nelson Mandela Bay Home ground: GIO Stadium, Canberra 2015: 14th Pretoria Stadium 2015: Semi-nals 2015: 9th 2015: DNP (Relegated in 2013) Chiefs Western Force Head coach: David Rennie Cheetahs Lions Head coach: Michael Foley Captains: Aaron Cruden, Sam Cane Head coach: Franco Smith Head coach: Johan Ackermann Captain: Matt Hodgson Home ground: FMG Stadium Waikato, Captain: Francois Venter Captain: Warren Whiteley Home ground: nib Stadium, Perth Hamilton Home ground: Toyota Stadium, Home ground: Emirates Airline Park, 2015: 15th 2015: Quarter-nal Bloemfontein Johannesburg 2015: 12th 2015: 8th Melbourne Rebels Crusaders Head coach: Tony McGahan Head coach: Todd Blackadder Stormers Sharks Captain: Nic Stirzaker Captain: Kieran Read Head coach: Robbie Fleck Head coach: Gary Gold Home ground: AAMI Park, Melbourne Home ground: AMI Stadium, Captain: Juan de Jongh, Captain: Patrick Lambie 2015: 10th Christchurch Frans Malherbe Home ground: Growthpoint 2015: 7th Home ground: DHL Newlands, Kings Park, Durban Queensland Reds Cape Town 2015: 11th Head coach: Richard Graham Highlanders 2015: Quarter-nal Captain: James Slipper Head coach: Jamie Joseph Home ground: Suncorp Stadium, Captain: Ben Smith, Shane Christie Sunwolves Jaguares Brisbane Home ground: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Head coach: Mark Hammett Head coach: Raul Perez 2015: 13th Dunedin Captain: Shota Horie Captain: Agustin Creevy 2015: Champions Home ground: Chichibunomiya Rugby Home ground: Estadio Jose New South Wales Waratahs Stadium, Tokyo, and National Stadium, Amaltani, Buenos Aires Head coach: Daryl Gibson Hurricanes Singapore 2015: DNP (New franchise) Captain: Michael Hooper Head coach: Chris Boyd 2015: DNP (New franchise) Home ground: Allianz Stadium, Captain: Dane Coles Sydney Home ground: Westpac Stadium, 2015: Semi-nals Wellington 2015: Runner-up PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS.