Today the New Zealand Rugby announced the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup schedule for all teams, with the competition to commence from Thursday 16th August.

Waikato’s season gets underway against Manawatu at Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North on Saturday 18th August from 2.35pm. 

Waikato again will host North Harbour (Saturday 25 August) and Wellington (Wednesday 5 September) in their first two home games at FMG Stadium Waikato, before facing Hawkes Bay (Thursday 13 September), Southland (Saturday 29 September) with Waikato's final home game against Otago (Saturday 13 October).

The remaining away matches will be against Auckland (Thursday 30th August), a potential Ranfurly Shield challenge against current holders Taranaki (Sunday 9 September), before again taking on Bay of Plenty (Friday 21 September), Northland (Saturday 6 October) back on their home turf.

The competition will be played across nine weeks with five home and five away games before Semifinals and Finals.

For all of Waikato’s matches home and away for the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup season head along to http://www.mooloo.co.nz/fixtures-and-results/fixtures-and-results/ 

Get your season memberships now, view the different membership packages here: http://www.mooloo.co.nz/memberships/  

Article added: 16 March 2018