Rugby: Six Super games at the 'Brook

Carisbrook will host the Crusaders, the Blues and the Chiefs next year while the Hurricanes will venture to the deep south.

With the Super competition expanding there are eight home games for the Highlanders.

Six will be played at Carisbrook and two at Invercargill.

Carisbrook will host the first home game of the season, against the Chiefs on February 25.

The ground, in its last year of use before the Forsyth Barr Stadium opens, will also host the matches against the Crusaders on March 19 and the Blues on April 29.

The other three games at Carisbrook are against the Cheetahs on April 8, the Lions on May 28, and the Force on June 3.

Invercargill will host the Brumbies on April 1, and the Hurricanes will visit on May 13.

All games are to be played at night, cutting Queenstown out of the picture for hosting games, as its ground does not have lights.

Ten of the Highlanders' 16 games are played on Friday nights and the side will play only two games in South Africa.

They start with a match against the Hurricanes in Wellington on February 18, the opening game of the tournament, and will finish against the Blues in Auckland on June 17.