South African teams have yet to break the Australasian lock on the Super 12, and 2005 offers a final chance before the southern hemisphere’s premier provincial rugby championship expands.
South Africans have traditionally claimed that time-zone differences and travel place them at a disadvantage in the Super 12, while observers point to internal politics, contentious race quotas, and a reticence to adopt new trends as likely factors in the South Africans’ disappointing performance.
Those issues remain, but a year before a fifth African franchise and a fourth from Australia join the competition to make up a Super 14, South Africa’s outlook on this Super 12 campaign is tinged with optimism.
The Springboks’ victory in last year’s Tri-Nations championship has shown that South African teams can match their Australian and New Zealand rivals in a home-and-away format.
And in pre-season matches in Britain and Ireland, the Stormers beat the Wasps, the Cats beat Saracens, the Bulls beat Ulster and the Sharks beat the Harlequins 31-3.
Only three teams — the ACT Brumbies from Australia’s capital of Canberra and top New Zealand provinces Auckland and Canterbury — have won the Super 12 in its nine years, and all remain favourites for 2005.
For the Brumbies, the quest for another title is a mission made more urgent by concern that the development of a fourth Australian team will dilute the strength of the country’s existing franchises.
SA players ‘good enough’
South Africa is seen as less likely to suffer from expansion because it has strong rugby areas that are yet untapped, and a regional reorganisation might benefit existing teams.
The Springboks’ assistant coach, Allister Coetzee, believes the talent exists in South Africa to claim the last Super 12 trophy.
”I hope we can have two teams in the semifinals,” Coetzee said. ”Our players are good enough to be right up there.”
Each South African franchise will have eight black players in their 30-man squads and SA Rugby CEO Johan Prinsloo believes those players will join highly competitive teams.
”SA Rugby is confident that our players will hold their own,” Prinsloo said.
International oddsmaker Tattersalls has the Bulls and Stormers joint sixth favourites at 20-1 to win this year’s tournament, rates the Sharks eighth and the Johannesburg-based Cats likely to fight out last place.
South Africans dispute those rankings and consider the Bulls strong play-off candidates.
The Stormers are the best balanced of the South African teams. with an all-Springbok backline formed around experienced flyhalf Gaffie du Toit.
But the Stormers, under coach Gert Smal, had a pre-season blow when hooker David Britz was withdrawn from the squad after failing a drugs test.
Australian teams
The defending champion Brumbies are the strongest of the Australian teams, though Wallabies flyhalf Matt Giteau will miss some early matches after breaking his hand in a trial match.
New coach Laurie Fisher, whose predecessor David Nucifora is now with the Auckland Blues, has great depth at his disposal.
Wallabies captain and scrumhalf George Gregan, pivot Steve Larkham, centre Stirling Mortlock and prop Bill Young give the Brumbies immense strength and experience.
”There aren’t many tougher tasks in rugby than to win the Super 12,” Mortlock said. ”It’s a big mountain to climb.”
For perennial underachievers the New South Wales Waratahs, rugby league converts and Wallabies Mat Rogers and Lote Tuqiri loom as the Sydney-based team’s key players.
The Queensland Reds made the semifinals in three of the first six Super 12 tournaments, but have missed out the past four years when injuries and retirements exposed a lack of depth in some key positions.
”There is hardly a need for any extra motivation to win the Super 12, but the fact that it is the final year certainly gives it a special meaning,” said captain Elton Flatley. ”We’re totally focused on getting Queensland engraved on that trophy before the competition expands.”
New Zealand’s Super 12 season will be overshadowed by the impending tour of the British and Irish Lions.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has taken a personal interest in the preparation of the five New Zealand franchises as he tries to build a national line-up to repel the Lions.
While British observers condemn the Super 12 as a ”fluffy” style of rugby, Henry is sure it will adequately prepare the All Blacks for the Lions tour.
”I think it’s a marvellous competition. I know the northern hemisphere [critics] says it’s nothing but a glorified game of 15-man sevens, but I think the things we did on the northern tour last year reflect some of the stuff that happened in the Super 12.”
Auckland and Canterbury are expected to lead the Kiwi challenge again, while the Wellington Hurricanes, led by All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga, are destined to improve on their 11th placing last season.
The Blues won the first three Super 12s and again in 2003, and boast dangerous attacking backline options in Joe Rokocoko, Doug Howlett, Carlos Spencer and Mils Muliaina.
The Crusaders, runners-up last season, have won four Super 12 titles. They will be led this year by All Blacks flanker Richie McCaw and can draw on the vast experience of scrumhalf Justin Marshall, flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens and match-winning goal-kicker Daniel Carter.
Otago captain Anton Oliver will become the first New Zealander to play 100 Super 12 games when the Highlanders open against the Blues on Friday. — Sapa-AP