Super S - Chiefs and Blues

Hey Peeps, 

I can't avoid this for long. And I don't like to group the Crusaders with the other three teams. I'll give you my full evaluations of how the 15 will all shake down once we take a good hard look at the arsenal that these two teams are packing. I'm not a band wagon jumper. Maybe I'm Ma'a Nonu groupie - so I will be backing the Blues against all those teams who aren't the Crusaders but I just can't leave Dan Carter, and the Franks', and Captain All Black. That is no wagon that I will be jumping from. However - I'll support the Blues in their enterprises this season. They have some talent that has stuck around and some new guys to bolster their ranks. I think we're looking at a fine team - one that could be competitive against a not entirely full strength Crusaders.

< it's also really important to note that I'm writing this late at night on some pretty intense sleep stuff. So if stuff doesn't make sense...you should point, laugh, and then translate for yourself. >

Auckland Blues
On the forward side of things - there's a lot of encouragement. Anthony Boric has proved himself to be a trustworthy fellow and both the Braid brothers were hard working chaps. Jerome Kaino is brilliant. Absolutely Brilliant - and if you happened to have your head in the sand over the fall...Kaino was brilliant. Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock are about as technical as they come as front rows but I don't hope that the All Black coaching staff are off in the back woods designing and raising up both of their replacements because other than Meathead (my nickname Corey Flynn) - we don't got much to replace Keven. We have promise in the back row but Kaino's going to need to sharpen up his boys I think.

Backs are a little more dodgy in that I think Alby Mathewson was hoping to get his big start but now he's right back under the shadow of Piri Weepu who, beyond any of us, can make or single-handedly BREAK a game. He's a while card but when he's on...he's really on. I just hope that Mathewson takes severe advantage of Weepu not being able to make full games and stops living out from under Weepu

There's strength in Lachie Munro, Ma'a Nonu, Rene Ranger (hopefully he can get it together this year). I have great hopes for Benson Stanley, Isaia Toeava, and Stowers to shine. Toeava has gotten a bit of a mouth on him and I think he has made some pretty foolish decisions on and off the field. All in all I think that the Blues have some great potential to be the best team coming from NZ this year but in my heart - I have to believe the the Crusaders will once again overcome the curse of the injury.

Waikato Chiefs

I have to say - I am fundamentally opposed to the Chiefs. Maybe it's Duck or now the essence of Duck that lingers in the air or it could be that a few years ago I needed somebody to beat the Bulls and the Chiefs were the ones lined up to do and...splat. No deal. I couldn't depend on them then and so I don't like them now.

Even with a few of their new additions - I don't think they have the stuff deep down to push through to the end. They're stock full of solid players. Sona Taumalolo, Ben Afeaki, Fritz Lee - all solid players who have the ability to have spectacular games but who also don't have great games often enough to wow the Powers That Be.

The backs look a little better. Brendon Leonard is...solid. Gosh, there's that word again. Aaron Cruden - I'm excited for him to get some good action this year. Let's hope that the South Hemi Hip Curse doesn't keep plaguing him. With the addition of SBW - I think the Chief's offensive attack will look a lot happier. Last year it was just depressing to watch them last year. Sluggish and uninventive. Milsy looked like he was done before the season even started and then he was hit with injury early on. I think that Kahui will make some magic outside of SBW.
Nanai-Williams and Masaga also offer some options - why those options weren't there last year...I don't know. But something needs to get this line firing and maybe SBW will be the catalyst they've been looking for - in the end though...defense or lack thereof that will be their undoing...that and the fact that their coach has the creativity


In the end - I think the ranking for the NZ teams will be like this:

1. Crusaders
2. Blues
3. Chiefs
4. Highlanders
5. Hurricanes

I'm a stick in the mud and a believer. I have to believe that the Crusaders have the guts and stubbornness to overcome injuries and the fact that they will still be on the road for their home games. I have to believe that all the talent in the world won't win you a championship. So...go Crusaders, go.