The second season of Super Rugby Pacific is fast approaching, with kick-off now just 10 days away.
We begin our countdown to Round 1 by previewing the Blues, Brumbies, Crusaders and Chiefs below.
[Note: Our final ladder predictions will be revealed in our closing team preview].
BLUES
Coach: Leon MacDonald
Captain: Dalton Papali'i
Last year: The Blues looked like the team to beat for much of 2022, finishing on top of the ladder after the regular season with an incredible 13 wins from their 14 games. Playing behind a dominant pack that was flush with All Blacks, the Blues backline turned on sumptuous rugby with the livewire Finlay Christie providing genuine spark at scrum-half; outside of the No. 9, Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke and Mark Telea all ran rampant and appeared to be firing the Aucklanders to a first title since 2003. Stephen Perofeta was another standout at fullback, and would eventually finish the season as the competition's highest points-scorer on his way to an All Blacks call-up. But after crushing the Highlanders in their quarterfinal, the Blues suddenly got the wobbles. First they were fortunate to survive a stirring comeback by the Brumbies in the semis, before they were then no match for a Crusaders outfit that came to Eden Park intent on spoiling their great rivals' coronation. The 21-7 defeat on their home patch was a bitter pill to swallow at the end of an otherwise brilliant season.
This year: MacDonald has seen little turnover in his squad over the offseason, with the departure of All Blacks prop Karl Tu'inukuafe the only real significant loss. And that news is tempered by the fact that they have got an All Black coming in the other direction, with former team captain Patrick Tuipulotu returning after a one-year sabbatical in Japan. In short, the Blues have all the necessary pieces to mount another title push, but, like their fellow Kiwi teams, will need to navigate the mandatory All Blacks rest weeks carefully. With at least 10 players set to fall into that category - they can play no more than five consecutive games - MacDonald has in all likelihood got a plan of how to manage his Test contingent through the regular season. Still, with a softer draw than last year and the vast array of talent across their squad, the Blues have all the necessary ingredients to again push for the title. Discipline will likely have been a focus over the preseason, with the Blues having conceded the second most yellow cards in 2022.
Draw: Highlanders [A], Brumbies [Melbourne], Hurricanes [A], Crusaders [H], Force [H], Chiefs [A], Rebels [A], Bye, Blues [H], Fijian Drua [A], Moana Pasifika [H], Crusaders [A], Reds [A], Hurricanes [H], Highlanders [H].
BRUMBIES
Coach: Stephen Larkham
Captain: Allan Alaalatoa
Last year: The Brumbies were easily the best performed Australian team in the competition, despite a torrid finish to the regular season which saw them lose their last three games. Those results meant the Brumbies slipped from second place to fourth, which saw them host the Hurricanes in Canberra in a quarterfinal. Dan McKellar's side got back to their best in that game, and really should have had the chance to complete an almighty comeback away to the Blues a week later. Referee Ben O'Keeffe's decision not to award the Brumbies a penalty at the breakdown in the final minute despite clear evidence one was deserved proved a disappointing finale to McKellar's tenure in Canberra. Still, there was a lot to like about the Brumbies' season, including the continued growth of Noah Lolesio, the outstanding form of Rob Valetini and Len Ikitau, and emergence of Nick Frost and young hooker Billy Pollard. But that will have done little to absolve the disappointment of a season when they had a genuine chance to win it all, and missed sending McKellar out on the ultimate high note.
This year: Welcome home, Stephen Larkham. The two-time Super Rugby winner and former club coach is once again in charge at Brumbies HQ; just how he evolves the Brumbies after a really strong period under McKellar will make for fascinating viewing. Set-piece solidity, including a dominant maul, and smart attacking rugby are cornerstones of the Brumbies' approach and Larkham will be thankful to have forwards guru Laurie Fisher on deck for at least some continuity from last year. There are several key departures to consider, with Folau Fainga'a, Irae Simone and Tom Banks all having moved on to pastures anew, but that in turn has created opportunities for Tom Wright [fullback], Lachie Lonergan and Pollard [Hooker], and Ollie Sapsford [centre]. The recruitment of Jack Debreczeni adds a measure of intrigue at fly-half, so too sevens stars Ben O'Donnell and Corey Toole. The Brumbies will enjoy the fact there is hype around the Waratahs, and would love nothing more than to knock the wind out of their local rivals' sails in Round 1. If they find a rhythm early, the Brumbies will grow in confidence and be a force to be reckoned with later in the year, particularly if Valetini continues his incredible former from 2022. But their draw also looks a little tougher in 2023, and amid the Wallabies rest weeks the Brumbies might not be as a complete outfit as they were last year.
Draw: Waratahs [A], Brumbies [A], Reds [H], Moana Pasifika [H], Crusaders [A], Waratahs [H], Reds [A], Fijian Drua [H], Bye, Hurricanes [A], Rebels [A], Highlanders [H], Force [A], Chiefs [H], Rebels [H].
CHIEFS
Coach: Clayton McMillan
Captains: Sam Cane, Brad Weber
Last year: With McMillan having retained the head coaching role after Warren Gatland's move to a director of rugby position, the Chiefs were entrenched in the top eight through the entirety of the regular season and eventually finished third. Powered by Samisoni Taukei'aho and Peter-Gus Sowakula up front, the Chiefs were able to compensate for the loss of both Sam Cane and Anton Lienert-Brown to injury, while Brodie Retallick back in the red, yellow and black jersey was a welcomed sight for fans in Waikato. After starting with Josh Ioane at No. 10, the Chiefs settled on Bryn Gatland as their main playmaker while Quinn Tupaea and Alex Nankivell proved a devastating centre pairing; the Chiefs also had one of the soundest set-piece platforms in the competition. But after defeating the Waratahs in the quarterfinals, the Chiefs found the going too tough in Christchurch against the Crusaders. In the end, they were probably short that one player with genuine x-factor.
This year: Did you say x-factor? Players with that rugby joie de vivre don't come much better than Damian McKenzie, who is back in Hamilton after his one-year sabbatical at Suntory Sungoliath. McKenzie's ability to open a game up on the counter, or by joining the front line at pace, is almost unrivalled at Super Rugby level and McMillan will be thrilled to have him back in the No. 15 jersey. McMillan, too, is now completely in charge given Gatland's return to Wales [that hasn't started too well, has it?]. McMillan will also be buoyed by the fact that his rising collection of young forwards - see Josh Lord, Tupou Vai'I, Naitoa Ah Koi and Manaaki Selby-Rickit -- all have another season under their belts while Shaun Stevenson, who starred for the New Zealand Maori last year, might also be about to really deliver on his obvious potential. The Chiefs certainly have the capacity to match their semifinal performance from last year or even go one - and possibly two - better than that. Staying injury free will be vital, while McKenzie's return cannot be understated enough. Two road games in Australia to finish the year might prove the difference in whether they are a top-four side.
Draw: Crusaders [A], Moana Pasifika [Melbourne], Highlanders [H], Rebels [H], Waratahs [A], Blues [H], Bye, Hurricanes [H], Fijian Drua [H], Crusaders [H], Highlanders [A], Reds [H], Hurricanes [H], Brumbies [A], Force [A].
CRUSADERS
Coach: Scott Robertson
Captain: Scott Barrett
Last year: It kind of felt like we'd seen this story rolled out before, or rather many times before. Yes, 2022 proved to be another season when the Crusaders ruled supreme, as they picked up from where they'd left off in the last fully unified Super Rugby season of 2019. Again, it was the usual suspects who led the charge, with Richie Mo'unga and Will Jordan producing some breathtaking attacking rugby, while Leicester Fainga'anuku, Sevu Reece and David Havili added a mix of power and guile. Up front, the All Blacks continued to be served by their young back-rowers Cullen Grace and Ethan Blackadder, although both players were injured at various times during the year. But perhaps the biggest talking point was their recruitment of Pumas star Pablo Matera, who brought his world-class skills to Christchurch and added another dimension to the Crusaders game; his kick for Sevu Reece's try helping to ice the final at Eden Park. When you consider that senior All Blacks Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock are still playing to an amazing level, it's easy to see why the Crusaders claimed yet another title. The only real sore point of their season was an away defeat away to the Waratahs, where Robertson later bemoaned the All Blacks rest weeks.
This year: It's already been a busy period in Canterbury, with Richie Mo'unga confirming this will be his final season for the Crusaders - at least for the next three years - and Robertson seemingly hinting that an announcement regarding his future was imminent. It's expected that he will soon be unveiled as Ian Foster's All Blacks replacement after the World Cup, which in turn will end the ongoing discussion and any distraction for the Crusaders moving forward, just as Mo'unga's preemptive move has. The desire to send two of their favourite sons out in style will only add further motivation to a franchise that just loves to win. They will be hit hard with All Blacks rest weeks, but such is the production line Robertson has plenty of depth to manage the situation. The two key departures over the offseason were scrum-half Bryn Hall and winger George Bridge, the former's move offset by the return of former club favourite and England international Willie Heinz. Matera's stint in Christchurch was, meanwhile, just for 2022. With World Cup positions on the line, the likes of Cullen Grace, Ethan Blackadder and Tom Christie will all be eager to push their claims, while Jordie Barrett's move to inside centre means Will Jordan can finally assert himself as the All Blacks No. 1 fullback. Jordan has been battling a migraine-related condition since mid-2022 however, and could miss the early rounds. Thankfully the condition isn't concussion related and symptoms are continuing to settle. It's hard to find a reason why the Crusaders won't again be there in the final game of the season.
Draw: Chiefs [H], Highlanders [Melbourne], Fijian Drua [A], Blues [A], Brumbies [H], Reds [A], Moana Pasifika [H], Bye, Rebels [A], Chiefs [A], Force [H], Blues [H], Moana Pasifika [A], Waratahs [H], Hurricanes [A].