With the countdown to Super Rugby Pacific ticking down all 12 teams have been hitting the training paddock hard in preparation for another huge season of action.
Ahead of it's second year, Super Rugby Pacific will see the return of newcomers Fijian Drua and Moana Pacifika with both sides eager to make an even bigger impact on the competition and shock their Aussie and Kiwi rivals.
Ahead of the February 24 kick-off all 12 sides will play several trial matches across Australia and New Zealand in preparation.
Read on for the fixtures and results as they come to hand (all local times).
Saturday January 28
Fijian Drua 24-0 Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne have opened their Super Rugby preseason campaign with a disappointing 24-0 loss to Fijian Drua.
The Rebels travelled to Fiji for the first time but left empty-handed, unable to turn a swag of possession into any points.
Recruits, English lock Tim Cardall and hooker Alex Mafi, made their first appearance for the Rebels amongst a number of familiar faces such as Nambian Test flanker Richard Hardwick and Australia A halfback James Tuttle.
The match was played over four quarters at Prince Charles Park in steamy conditions, with a big home crowd turning out to support the Drua.
Both teams turned in a scrappy early showing, scoreless through the opening two stanzas.
Fijian Drua finally broke the deadlock in the third quarter through lock Kitione Salawa with playmaker Tuidraki Samusamuvodre stretching the lead to 12 points.
Heavy rain then started to fall, further impacting the handling, while the coaches used the trial to test different combinations.
Former Fiji Sevens player Iosefo Masi was next to cross to the delight of locals fans, with flanker Joseva Tamani adding the final five-pointer at the death.
Despite the scoreline, Melbourne coach Kevin Foote said they took plenty from the game.
"Those conditions are tough -- we have never trained in those conditions," Foote told reporters.
"We will analyse the game with and of course, we've got a young team here and we are building."
-- AAP
Saturday February 4
Brumbies 31-26 Waratahs
The ACT Brumbies have hit the ground running under new coach Stephen Larkham, grinding out a 31-26 against the NSW Waratahs in Griffith.
His first game in charge since taking the reins from Wallabies-bound Dan McKellar, Larkham's Brumbies scored three second-half tries to seal the campaign-opening win.
With heavily-rotated squads from both sides meaning the contest will offer practically no formline for their Super Rugby Pacific round one clash on February 24, each team will have been impressed with strong displays from some off-season additions.
Australian Rugby Sevens talent Corey Toole turned in the most eye-catching display, the winger scoring an impressive first-half try and adding another in the second with flashy footwork making him one of the Brumbies' better creative options throughout the game.
But NSW would have been thrilled with the return of former Wallaby star Tolu Latu from French side Stade Francais.
The hooker came off the bench in the second half and hit the scoreboard quickly, showing what he might add to the Tahs' pack this season.
As if proving they'd lost nothing from McKellar's departure, the Brumbies powered over from his trademarked rolling maul to open their account, while Toole's brilliant hand to a Declan Meredith grubber got them in front early.
The Waratahs scored either side of that double through Harry Wilson and Te Tera Faulkner, but two quick Brumbies' tries to start the second half gave them some breathing room.
Young NSW fullback Ben Dowling scored a great try late in proceedings courtesy of a brilliant ball from Jack Bowen.
Off-season ACT signing Jack Debreczeni impressed in the halves with Ryan Longergan, the five-eighth making his case to lock down a spot in the Brumbies' 23 for the coming season with stylish play-making in the second half.
The Tahs also got back flanker Lachie Swinton for his first run in a year, having missed considerable time dealing with nerve damage to his shoulder.
New Wallabies boss Eddie Jones was in attendance, although he had to wait until the second half to see a number of his national team troops in action.
Both sides started without most of their regular players, Charlie Gamble, Ben Donaldson and Tane Edmed among the starters for the Waratahs while Ed Kennedy and Rory Scott were familiar faces for the Brumbies.
They each emptied the bench in the second half, the Brumbies unleashing Wallabies talent including Lachie Lonergan and Darcy Swain.
-- AAP
Western Force 10-45 Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds No. 8 Harry Wilson made a big statement to new Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, scoring twice in his side's impressive 45-10 preseason win over the Western Force.
Wilson was out of favour with Dave Rennie but took a huge step in his battle to get out of the international wilderness on Saturday.
He scored in each of the first two-thirds in a game split into three 30 minutes because of Perth's mini heatwave.
The result also threw out a warning to the Reds' Super Rugby rivals in the six-try spree at UWA Sports Park.
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips also grabbed a double with Ryan Smith and Kalani Thomas each adding one to the Reds' score.
The Force's five-pointers came from winger Zack Kibirige who signed this season from English club Wasps and Campbell Parata.
Both sides were littered with fresh faces -- new Force coach Simon Cron starting with seven while 10 of Reds coach Brad Thorn's 30-man squad had not played Super Rugby.
The Force started with an all-international front row, Wallabies Tom Robertson, new hooker Folau Faanga'a and Argentinian Santiago Medrano.
Behind them, experienced Wallabies lock Izack Rodda was back after a lengthy spell with a foot injury.
Thorn has based his side around a powerful scrum.
They had no Wallabies in their starting front-row, but handled everything thrown at them by the Force.
The Force had the better of the opening exchanges but it was the visitors who took the lead from a midfield turnover, breaking through the centre for Wilson to score, converted by Isaac Henry.
They pulled their way into the game, opting to increase their lead with a Henry penalty.
The Force hit back as the first third came to a close, a lovely handling move and chip and chase by Kibirige to the delight of fans who braved the steamy conditions but it was the Reds who continued their scoring spree with just one more from the home side..
-- AAP
Friday February 10:
Highlanders 35-33 Crusaders
Saturday February 11:
Blues 28-21 Hurricanes
Brumbies 35 - 33 Melbourne Rebels
Len Ikitau's second half double was enough for the ACT Brumbies to skip clear after the Melbourne Rebels had fired their first shots ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
The Brumbies led early but needed a second half surge in a 35-33 win in Wagga Wagga on Saturday.
The Rebels, beaten 24-0 by Fijian Drua in their only other trial game, held sway and led 19-12 early in the second half after stalling the Brumbies' rolling maul and finding space on the left flank.
But Wallabies centre Ikitau produced the critical plays, twice tumbling out of tackles to score his tries in the Brumbies' comeback.
His second put them nine points clear before the Rebels scored a consolation try after the siren.
Rugby sevens recruits Corey Toole continued his fine preseason form with a try for the winners, while fellow sevens product and Tokyo Olympian Joe Pincus made the most of his early minutes with a first half double.
Pincus was on after Ray Nu'u was helped off with a right knee injury, while Rebels five-eighth Carter Gordon was also limping when he exited in the 60th minute.
The emerging playmaker was sharp before that, throwing the pass for Pincus's first try and running at the line with confidence.
Playing fullback, Reece Hodge was also impressive while Jack Debreczeni was smooth in pulling the Brumbies' strings in the No.10.
Victory for the Brumbies followed a tight win over the Waratahs in their other preseason game, returning coach Stephen Larkham to enter the season later this month with a perfect record.
-- AAP
Waratahs 33-32 Reds
Sons of guns Tom Lynagh and Max Jorgensen strutted their stuff before a blatant knock-on was confirmed as a try to hand the NSW Waratahs a 33-32 Super Rugby Pacific trial game win over the Queensland Reds.
The Waratahs won in Narrabri on Saturday night, Nemani Nadolo's late five-pointer the difference in the sides' traditional pre-season hit-out that carries a $25,000 prize.
That is why the Reds were smarting when referee Nic Berry was unable to utilise any replays before awarding Nadolo a try, when vision would have shown the hulking Fijian recruit spilling the ball as he went to plant it in the corner.
The Reds still had plenty to celebrate as Lynagh, the son of World Cup-winning Wallaby Michael, played almost 60 minutes at five-eighth and controlled the game well with hand and foot.
The 19-year-old joined the Reds from the English system last year but played only club football for University of Queensland.
But his long stint in the saddle ahead of last season's back-up No.10 Lawson Creighton, who scored a try after entering for the final third of the game, indicated he may not be far off a fully fledged debut if James O'Connor (ankle) remains sidelined.
"I really enjoyed working with Tommy there tonight," Reds and Wallabies No.9 Tate McDermott said ahead of the season opener in two weeks.
"The history that comes with his last name is pretty special.
"He was awesome; he was loud, he steered and controlled the ship in attack really well.
"It's really exciting to see someone like that fill those shoes like we've asked him to do."
For the Waratahs, it was centre Max Jorgensen who shone, his first-half try a dazzling combination of acceleration and angle that left Filipo Daugunu in his dust.
The son of former Wallabies and NRL talent Peter was a recruitment victory for rugby last year and the 18-year-old showed he could handle the step-up after already impressing on the end-of-season Australia A tour.
Reds No.8 Harry Wilson would have been hard to ignore for new Wallabies coach and keen spectator Eddie Jones, particularly in the crucial first 20 minutes when the flanker was heavily involved.
He finished a long-range try started by the also-impressive Isaac Henry and returned the favour with a neat offload to put the outside centre through a gap in the second half.
Emerging Reds winger Floyd Aubrey scored the first try, finishing well after Tate McDermott's cross-field chip bounced behind him.
But he handed that back when spilling a bomb, Mosese Tuipulotu running away for an easy try.
Mahe Vailanu showed his power with two barging first-half tries for the hosts as temperatures remained in the mid-30C after 8.30pm in the regional NSW town.
Taj Annan and Creighton scored to put the Reds ahead, before Nadolo showed his experience with a calm post-try celebration to fool the obscured officials.
Thursday February 16:
Fijian Drua 48-38 Western Force
Fijian Drua's trial victory over the Western Force has shown they won't be one-trick ponies in their second Super Rugby Pacific season.
Mick Byrne's side beat the Force 48-38 at Brisbane's Wests Rugby Club on Thursday night in their final hit-out before next Saturday's season opener against fellow competition sophomores Moana Pasifika in Auckland.
Renowned for their opportunistic play, Byrne was pleased to see some patience as they held the ball and used their maul to score four consecutive first-half tries.
They went to the air in the second half with Iosefo Masi the target, the outside centre who won rugby sevens gold for Fiji at the Tokyo Olympics and then spent two years in the North Queensland NRL system.
The Force trailed 41-24 with 12 minutes to go but got back to within three points of the Drua, before their after-the-siren try sealed a second trial win from two preseason hit-outs.
With his team set to call Fiji home after a debut season spent mostly in northern NSW, Byrne has seen dramatic improvement after a 2-12 inaugural campaign.
"We had a year to get to know what it's about but a year isn't a long time, especially with players who've never played professional rugby before," he told AAP post-game.
"Last year we were a little loose and not used to those things, but they look like they've got their heads around what it looks like to be a professional team."
Byrne lamented a return to "sevens rugby" when they had an early lead, but was pleased they had shown glimpses of what was needed to compete in 2023.
"We want to create a bit more of a third dimension to our game with the kicking," he said.
"It's not something we've been good at, but we're working on it and hopefully they can enjoy that as much as they enjoy the offload and taking them on.
"The maul is a new source of points for us; we're learning how to play that 15s game."
Lock Izack Rodda was immense in the lineout for the Force as he continues to come back from a long-term foot injury that scuppered his entire 2022 Test season.
Force recruit and Wallabies hooker Folau Fainga'a limped off with an ankle injury, while fellow recruit Hamish Stewart struggled to have an impact as he looked to nail down the No. 10 jersey after leaving the Queensland Reds.
- AAP
Friday February 17:
Highlanders 33-24 Moana Pasifika
Chiefs 47-33 Blues
Hurricanes 31-26 Crusaders
Saturday February 18:
Waratahs 27-5 West Harbour,
Waratahs 12-5 Western Sydney Two Blues