It is sport, not war — but this could be the ideal way to celebrate Anzac Weekend next year.
The Highlanders appear set to face the old enemy over the April 25-27 weekend in the 2025 season.
They have released a teaser ahead of the announcement — expected later today or tomorrow — of the Super Rugby Pacific draw.
It comes in the form of an image from the clash between the Highlanders and the Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium earlier this year.
Southern fans will recall that was a rather wonderful night that ended with a 32-29 win for the Highlanders, thanks to 27 points from golden boy Cameron Millar.
The teaser includes the words "A day to remember" and "26.04.25".
So it is a reasonable assumption that the rivals will clash on the Saturday following Anzac Day.
The fixture is presumably going to be in Christchurch, but as the Highlanders will play four teams twice next year, there is a chance they will get two games against the Crusaders, one home and one away, so it could be an Anzac date in Dunedin.
The third possibility is that the game will be on neutral territory as part of Super Round.
Super Rugby Pacific had its inaugural Anzac Weekend Round last season with games played on Friday and Saturday, one and two days after Anzac Day.
The demise of the Melbourne Rebels will mean some tweaks to the draw for an 11-team competition.
Round 1 will be a week earlier, starting on February 14, to accommodate teams having two byes.
Super Rugby has already announced there will be more afternoon fixtures.
The Highlanders will get seven home games — with some interest in whether Invercargill or even Queenstown get allocated a game — and seven away games.
They finished sixth this year and will need to at least match that effort to take part in the rejigged three-week finals series.
