Big test for Blues without Beauden
TOM Coventry’s Blues go into the new Super Rugby Aotearoa season without their star playmaker Beauden Barrett who has opted for a lucrative sabbatical in Japan.
But last year’s runnersup are determined to unseat reigning champions Crusaders and will look to their backline firepower of Reiko Ioane, Caleb Clarke and Mark Telea.
In Otere Black, Stephen Perofeta and Harry Plummer, the Blues have the depth at 10 to negate Barrett’s absence. The Auckland side’s pack looks quality, too, with the addition of Nepo Laulala bringing their All Blacks prop quota to four, and a stack of outstanding loose forwards, headed by Akira Ioane, Hoskins Sotutu and Dalton Papalii.
Crusaders meanwhile go into the competition off the back of winning the last three Super Rugby titles and also last year’s inaugural Aotearoa, making them red-hot favourites. They possess a highly talented backline with the likes of Jack Goodhue, Will Jordan and last year’s player of the tournament, Richie Mo’unga, starring at fly-half.
However, their key to success lies in a brutal pack that includes experienced All Blacks Codie Taylor, Sam Whitelock and captain Scott Barrett.
This year’s competition includes two new law variations. First, the global debut of a captain’s referral, allowing for one opportunity per match to ask the referee to have the television match official check for an infringement in the lead up to a try, or to review foul play. Also, the introduction of a goal-line drop-out rather than a fivemetre scrum awarded to the defending team when an attacking player carrying the ball is held up in the in-goal area or knocks-on.
In a dramatic contrast in fortunes, the Chiefs endured an horrific 2020 that saw them finish bottom of last year’s standings, losing every game. They’ll be without head coach Warren Gatland as he is off on a sabbatical coaching the proposed British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. Led by their country’s captain Sam Cane and a highly talented backline, the only way is up for the Waikato men this term.
Hurricanes will be without star scrum-half TJ Peranara as he heads to Japan on a short-term playing contract, therefore they’ll likely call on Peranara’s understudy Jonathan Taumateine to impress from the base.
Jason Holland’s men produced the shock of last year’s tournament by inflicting a first defeat for the Crusaders at Christchurch Stadium in 36 games, winning 34-32 in round seven.
With a backline that possesses battering ram Ngani Laumape, star Jordie Barrett and the returning All Blacks legend Julian Savea, the Wellington side will look to improve on last season’s third place finish.
On the other hand, Highlanders will be hoping for a more consistent campaign after last season’s underwhelming fourth placed finish.
Experienced co-captains Aaron Smith and Ash Dixon were both sensational in the competition’s first instalment and with exciting young signings Solomon Alaimalo and Fetuli Paea out wide, Tony Brown’s men could be this year’s dark horses.