SYDNEY (Reuters) – Team-by-team preview of the new season of Super Rugby Pacific, which kicks off on Friday. (Listed in order of last season’s finish on regular season standings):
AUCKLAND BLUES
Best finish: Champions (4) – 1996, 1997, 2003, 2021 (Trans Tasman)
Last year: Runners up (15-2)
Coach: Leon McDonald
Captain: Dalton Papalii
Last year’s loss to the Crusaders in the final snapped a 15-match winning streak and hit the Blues hard. The Auckland powerhouse will be out for revenge this year and should again be among the frontrunners.
CANTERBURY CRUSADERS
Best finish: Champions (13) – 1998-2000, 2002, 2005-6, 2008, 2017-2019, 2020-21 (Aotearoa), 2022
Last year: Champions (14-3)
Coach: Scott Robertson
Captain: Scott Barrett
A supreme winning culture and a seemingly endless supply of young talent make the Christchurch-based powerhouse perennial favourites to land the title and this year is no different.
WAIKATO CHIEFS
Best finish: Champions – 2012, 2013
Last year: Semi-finals (11-5)
Coach: Clayton McMillan
Co-captains: Sam Cane, Brad Weber
Damian McKenzie returns after a sabbatical in Japan to bring pace and creativity to a backline that lacked a bit of both when it came to the crunch last year.
ACT BRUMBIES
Best finish: Champions – 2001, 2004
Last year: Semi-finals (11-5)
Coach: Stephen Larkham
Captain: Allan Alaalatoa
The Brumbies will be expected to continue to set the standard for Australian rugby despite the departure of coach Dan McKellar and a string of Wallabies.
WELLINGTON HURRICANES
Best finish: Champions – 2016
Last year: Quarter-finals (8-7)
Coach: Jason Holland
Captain: Ardie Savea
They possibly lack a bit of squad depth but the Hurricanes have some world class players, most notably loose forward Savea and centre Jordie Barrett.
NEW SOUTH WALES WARATAHS
Best finish: Champions – 2014
Last year: Quarter-finals (8-7)
Coach: Darren Coleman
Captain: Jake Gordon
With a new home stadium, a new training facility and bundles of exciting young talent, the Waratahs have targeted a top-four finish after Coleman turned around the ailing franchise in his first year in charge.
QUEENSLAND REDS
Best finish: Champions – 2011
Last year: Quarter-finals (8-7)
Coach: Brad Thorn
Co-captains: Tate McDermott and Liam Wright
The Reds have tinkered little with their squad for the new season except for the addition of lock Luke Jones, and could surprise a few teams if they can keep their talented backs fit.
OTAGO HIGHLANDERS
Best finish: Champions – 2015
Last year: Quarter-finals (4-11)
Coach: Clarke Dermody
Captain: Billy Harmon
The weakest of the New Zealand teams last year, the Highlanders only just scraped into the playoffs. New coach Dermody will be hoping for more luck with injuries this year.
WESTERN FORCE
Best finish: 3rd (AU, 2021)
Last year: Ninth (4-10)
Coach: Simon Cron
Captain: Michael Wells
The Perth-based outfit missed the playoffs by a single point last season and will be looking to get over the line this year after strengthening their spine with the arrival of Wells, flyhalf Hamish Stewart and hooker Folau Fainga’a.
MELBOURNE REBELS
Best finish: 3rd (AU, 2020)
Last year: 10th (4-10)
Coach: Kevin Foote
Captain: Rob Leota
The Rebels were forced to blood a lot of young players last season and coach Foote will be looking to reap the dividend of their increased experience in this campaign.
FIJIAN DRUA
Last year: 11th (2-12)
Coach: Mick Byrne
Captain: Meli Derenalagi
Home advantage in the heat and humidity of Fiji could be a big factor in the Drua’s second season after they played most of their inaugural campaign in Australia.
MOANA PASIFIKA
Last year: 12th (2-12)
Coach: Aaron Mauger
Captain: Sekope Kepu
The Auckland-based side managed to win only two matches in their debut season, albeit against the Hurricanes and Brumbies, and will be looking to produce 80-minute performances with more consistency in 2023.
(Compiled by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Robert Birsel)
