Our lead writers sit down to pick out their Super Rugby winner ahead of the start of the new season on Thursday, when the Rebels take on the Blues.
The Super Rugby title is heading back to New Zealand for the fifth time in six years; that’s how confident we are ahead of the start of the 2017 season.
Last season’s quartet of the Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes and Chiefs all threatened to win the title, with the Hurricanes pulling through, and were it not for the Lions’ performances we would have been rightly concerned about the one-way nature of the tournament.
There is little to suggest that dominance will fade and a number of inter-franchise moves have peaked interest in those four teams heading into Round 1.
I’m going with the Highlanders, the 2015 champions who upset the script by winning in Wellington and then last year made the semi-finals before going down 42-30 to the Lions in Johannesburg.
They have the grit upfront – guys like Elliot Dixon and Liam Squire get better each season and look out for prop Daniel Lienert-Brown – while there was already plenty of class out wide with Waisake Naholo, the outstanding Ben Smith and Matt Faddes before adding Tevita Li from the Blues.
Thrown in a redemption year for Aaron Smith and Lima Sopoaga’s continuing progress, and you have a major contender.
It’s hard to look past a New Zealand winner for a third straight season. Two teams catch my eye and they are the Hurricanes and Crusaders.
I feel the Chiefs will miss Brad Weber and Augustine Pulu as scrum-half options while the departure of Seta Tamanivalu is a blow at centre.
The Highlanders will again be a threat but the impetus of Scott Robertson at the Crusaders will take them to a new level, which will lead to them battling it out with the ‘Canes to become champions.
The latter have eight home games to seven away, with just one match in South Africa, while the Crusaders have seven at home and eight away.
Nehe Milner-Skudder is back while Jordie Barrett could take over the place-kicking from brother Beauden, with those two linking at 10 and 12 an exciting proposition and one of many reasons I am backing the ‘Canes.
This year’s Super Rugby winners is difficult to predict but if I was a betting man, then I’ll say the tournament’s successful side, the Crusaders are going to end a nine-year wait and win the title they last lifted in 2008.
Yes, they have lost the services of quality players like Nemani Nadolo, Andy Ellis, Kieron Fonotia and Johnny McNicholl but they have negated those departures by bringing in the likes of Digby Ioane, Bryn Hall, Tim Bateman and Seta Tamanivalu.
These new players should compliment proven internationals like Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks and Israel Dagg as well as exciting youngsters like Jordan Taufua and Richie Mo’unga.
However, the appointment of Scott Robertson as Todd Blackadder’s replacement as head coach was equally important as he’s a proven winner who gained success with Canterbury in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship and the All Black U20 side, who he guided to victory at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy in 2015.
The men from Christchurch biggest threat will come from the defending champions, the Hurricanes, 2015 winners the Highlanders and the Lions.
It’s really a no brainer as to where the next champion will come from.
The New Zealand sides have been strategically and skilfully far superior to their Australian and South African counterparts for years and there is little evidence that is likely to change.
Unless the Lions can produce the exact season as last year and somehow match the Kiwi intensity in the business stages of the competition, South Africa doesn’t really have a hot prospect for 2017.
And considering that the Brumbies and Waratahs have lost some key players it doesn’t seem as though Australia will provide a worthy challenger for the Super Rugby crown.
It might be an outside bet considering the form of the Highlanders and Hurricanes of late but the Crusaders seem ripe and ready to take the honours once again.
Who are you backing? Let us know in the comments or by email to readersviews@planetrugby.com
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