Putting ‘super’ back in rugby
QUALITY IS BOUND TO IMPROVE AFTER REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS Lions face stiff challenge to stay ahead of the pack in the South Africa Conference.
The expectation has been revisited that the word “Super” will return to the Super Rugby competition this year. Having cut three teams and reduced the number to 15 once again and a three-conference system will doubtless up the quality of the competition.
The Crusaders will no doubt once again kick off as one of the front-runners having won the title a record eighth time last year by becoming the first team to successfully cross the Indian Ocean before the final when they beat the Lions 25-17 at Ellis Park.
The Kiwis will also have the most representative teams namely five, while South Africa and Australia have been reduced to four each with the Jaguares forming part of the SA Conference and the Sunwolves part of the Aussie Conference.
Teams will play eight games against teams in their own conference on a home-and-away basis and four each against teams from the other two conferences.
The Lions will once again start as the top local team and will fancy their chances to end close to the top of the standings, but could expect more fierce competition from the Sharks, Stormers and Bulls.
The Lions have lost a number of players – scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, flyhalf Jaco van der Walt, hooker Akker van der Merwe and loose forward Ruan Ackermann – but still boast efficient all-round depth to be considered as a title contender.
A lot will also depend on how new head coach Swys de Bruin will change the way the Lions used to play, but they are bound to thrill and entertain again.
How they will cope in the first few rounds without Bok trio of wings Courtnall Skosan and Ruan Combrinck and explosive flanker Jaco Kriel will also influence their campaign.
The Sharks have been boosted by the addition of their former coach Dick Muir and he could revive the running play of the Durbanites as backline coach.
A major boost has been the addition of ace wing Makazole Mapimpi from the Cheetahs, flyhalf Robert du Preez from the Stormers and wing Leolin Zas.
The Stormers will start their campaign without three of their big-name players in Boks like locks Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit as well as prop Frans Malherbe.
But they have been boosted by the return of prop Steven Kitshoff, and have strengthened their backline ranks through the likes of Cheetahs wings Sergeal Petersen and Raymond Rhule.
The Bulls could also look for an improved showing after John Mitchell took over as head coach and they have some thrilling backline players in fullback Warrick Gelant, centre Jesse Kriel and flyhalf Handre Pollard.
But a major question mark hangs over how their forward pack will compete against some of the top dogs in the competition.
In the Kiwi Conference the Crusaders will receive stiff competition from the Highlanders, Chiefs and Hurricanes, while the Blues have been making strides under former All Black Tana Umaga.
The jury is still out on whether the Aussie Conference can improve on a dreadful 2017.