Super Rugby Kicks Off!

After a long, enjoyable summer away from the boots and tipping competitions, Super Rugby made its symbolic comeback this weekend - even Aussie fans who saw 4 of their teams kick off the week before due to the impending Lions series would admit that  the season truly kicked off on this the last  weekend of February.

And what a start it has been. The Highlanders and Chiefs finally kicked off Super Rugby in New Zealand with a cracker of a match under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium, sold out with plenty of students enjoying Otago University's orientation week festivities. The Chiefs showed why they are champions and should continue to be the team to emulate in Super Rugby, showing all their class and quality in all areas to hold off a much improved Highlanders team.

Tim Nanai-Williams was exemplary in his new role at centre - one which could possibly put him in line for the All Blacks if he continues this form throughout the season given the loss of Sonny Bill Williams to rugby league and Tamati Ellison to injury. He scored a marvellous brace to help his team stay ahead of the valiant comeback from the team from the South.

As for the Highlanders, they should be encouraged by their showing in the first game although there will be plenty to work on in defence, set-piece and their ball handling skills. Let's not forget that the Highlanders beat the Chiefs in Hamilton last season in their first games of the season - and who was crowned champion at the end of the season?

While the Crusaders had the bye weekend to work on their Harlem Shake, traditional rivals, the Hurricanes and Blues kicked their seasons off under sunny, summery skies in Wellington. The Blues showed plenty of tenacity against a highly vaunted Hurricanes side at home to get the John Kirwan era to a winning start.

In a team full of novices, it was the experienced guys like Piri Weepu, Ali Williams and Rene Ranger who stood out, enabling young and upcomers, Frank Halai and Charles Piutau to express themselves fully. Halai, who was highly impressive on the Sevens circuit last year, was equally stunning in his Super Rugby debut with only a controversial (but correct) yellow card for intentionally knocking the ball dead in goal, the blemish on a good night for himself - one wonders why more interest was shown towards this guy.

There will be some concern too for the Hurricanes who came into this season with big hopes of going one better than last season, but appear to have dropped a game against the team everyone tipped to be wooden spooners. There is no Cory Jane to bail them out and Conrad Smith is also down and out with a head injury. With two senior players in the backs gone, Hammett will need to work really hard to get the young guys up and back into contention next week.

Elsewhere, the Reds looked like the champions they were in 2011, smashing the apparently refreshed Waratahs in Brisbane while the Brumbies revolution continues with a clinical win in Melbourne against the Rebels.

In South Africa, the Bulls and Sharks have drawn first blood in their opening matches of the season - the Bulls beating the Stormers at home in Pretoria in what will be a thrilling series between the two.

But the result of the round from a Republic point of view has to be the Southern Kings usurping fellow strugglers, the Western Force in their first ever Super rugby game. The Kings are the first expansion Super Rugby team to win their first ever game - the Force and Rebels lost their first games when they made their debuts in 2006 and 2011 respectively.

Perhaps, this was always going to be the Kings' best chance of victory - at home, against a side tipped to be challenging them for the wooden spoon, in front of a big crowd to welcome professional rugby to the East Cape. Alas, the Kings showed tremendous character and quality in the 2nd half to rally home and win quite comfortably against a Force side that seem to be going backwards.

The next challenge for the Kings will be much tougher; whether it is to win away from home, win more than one game in the season. Do both and it would be quite a respectable debut season for a team no one gave a chance.

The Crusaders kick off next week in Auckland against the Blues and after what happened in Wellington, this game could turn out to be much more entertaining and competitive than originally thought - mind you when has a Crusaders v Blues game ever been dull?