Nickname: Mako
2020 finish: Premiership champions (second on table)
Coach: Andrew Goodman
Co-captains: Mitch Hunt and Quinten Strange
GAINS: Levi Aumua (Japan), Tom Marshall (Japan), Atu Moli (back from injury), Paripari Parkinson (back from injury)
LOSSES: Alex Ainley (retired), Tima Faingaanuku (Manawatu), Kieron Fonotia (retired), Isaac ross (usa), Kershawl sykes-martin (injury)
GO-TO PLAYER: Mitch Hunt Mitch Hunt is a dyed in the wool Mako man and has two titles, 56 games and 439 points under his belt.
Last season he started all 12 matches and he could do so again in 2021, especially with the co-captaincy tag. He will be keen to be as dominant as he was for this team in 2019, when they swept all before them in emphatic style.
Hunt was probably the best performed Kiwi no 10 in super rugby behind richie Mo’unga.
BREAKTHROUGH PLAYER: Anton Segner The opensider is just 20 and saw action in five games off the bench in 2020, so we think he is ready to step up and substantially increase his minutes.
but hell, he has some competition, from the hardnosed sione Havili and the rising Jacob norris, Maori All black. still, segner, who played for the nz under 20s last month, is well equipped to succeed at this level with his work-rate and scavenging ability.
OUR PREDICTION: Fourth in Premiership yes, big call, we know. The Mako will still be contenders but we tip them to dip out at the semifinals stage. Auckland exposed some frailties in their pack last season, though not in the final, but it would be foolhardy for any team to take the Mako lightly when there is so much super rugby quality. That said, they will badly miss David Havili.