The first Super 12 series was held in 1996, although it has its origins in the Super 10, Super 6 and South Pacific championships. It was born out of the success of 1995 Rugby Union World Cup, pitting regional teams of the then three strongest rugby nations against each other.

It is a round-robin competition with each team playing every other team with games held each weekend. A team receives four points for a win, two for a draw, and none for a loss. Teams also receive a bonus point for scoring four tries, regardless of the final result. A bonus point is also earned by a team that loses a game by seven points (a converted try) or less. The top four teams at the end of the round-robin phase then play semifinals, with the first placed team hosting the fourth placed team and the second placed team hosting the third placed team. The two winners then play the final at the home ground of the highest surviving seed.

Current competing teams are:

• Australia
  • ACT Brumbies
  • New South Wales Waratahs
  • Queensland Reds

• New Zealand
  • Blues (representing the North Island from Auckland northward)
  • Chiefs (representing the central North Island)
  • Crusaders (representing the northern two-thirds of the South Island, including Christchurch)
  • Highlanders (representing the southern third of the South Island, including Dunedin)
  • Hurricanes (representing the southern North Island, including Wellington)

• South Africa
  • Bulls (representing northern Gauteng and points north)
  • Cats (representing southern Gauteng, Free State, and nearby areas)
  • Sharks (representing KwaZulu-Natal and adjacent areas in Eastern Cape)
  • Stormers (representing Western Cape, Northern Cape, and most of Eastern Cape)

Winners

• 1996 Blues
• 1997 Blues
• 1998 Crusaders
• 1999 Crusaders
• 2000 Crusaders
• 2001 ACT Brumbies
• 2002 Crusaders
• 2003 Blues

• Crusaders 4
• Blues 3
• ACT Brumbies 1