Crusaders favourites for title – Delaney
DEFENDING champions Crusaders will remain the team to beat when Super Rugby’s Australasian conferences kick-off this week, says Highlanders defence coach Glenn Delaney.
However, the former London Irish man reckons his Dunedin-based Highlanders are ready to lay on a show with one of the finest back-lines in New Zealand at their disposal, including the fully fit and rested All Blacks full-back Ben Smith.
Smith, 31, missed New Zealand’s November tour after taking a sabbatical, but ahead of Friday’s opener against the Blues Delaney told The Rugby
Paper: “Ben’s looking as sharp as ever after time off and a full pre-season.
“He’s mentally fresh and physically he’s been setting personal bests in testing. It’s pretty intense in that All Blacks environment so the break has served him well and he’ll take his place in a pretty exciting Highlanders back-line.”
Delaney added: “Crusaders are red hot favourites in the eyes of the media and that’s fair. They won the competition last year and their team has been enhanced, so with the same coaching group you would expect their form to increase. But the rest of us will be going into it with an attacking mindset based on solid foundations.
“If you look at our back three of Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith and Tevita Li, along with a nine and ten who can control the game in Aaron Smith and Lima Sopoaga, we’ve got the ability to break teams open and pile on a few points.
“We’ve got some pretty experienced, durable forwards as well so we’ll be backing our attacking ability with a settled squad.”
Delaney says Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger also has plenty to prove after being ditched unfairly by Leicester.
He said: “Aaron’s firedup and it was interesting Tigers got rid of him because they were winning and things had turned around. He’ll have a point to prove and I’d expect all the New Zealand teams to have another good year.”
However, Delaney smells danger across the Tasman as Aussie teams plot a fightback following the demise of the Western Force.
“Dave Wessels has gone in to coach the Rebels and taken a lot of Force players with him, so I expect resurgence there,” Delaney said.
“The Reds have Brad Thorn in charge so he’ll set uncompromising standards of expectation and the Brumbies will want to consign last year to the bin after not beating a New Zealand team all season.”
Pride is at stake, according to Northampton’s Australian coach Alan Gaffney, who said: “They have to get their act together; it’s imperative the four franchises perform.
“I was disappointed the Force were cut but the Rebels should be stronger for it – and they need to be because for the Aussies to not beat a New Zealand province in the whole of last season was really poor.
“They’ve got a huge challenge, and for the sake of Australian rugby they must start competing.”