No complaints will be heard from rugby fans as the Super Rugby season gets under way a few weeks earlier than usual. It will run uninterrupted until the conference matches are completed in May, with the playoff games and final in June. The 2020 season sees the loss of many fan favourites and crucial cogs but also sees the return of past legends to add experience to emerging youth.
This will also be the last season of the conference system before reverting back to a 14-team round-robin format. That means it will be the farewell tour of the entertaining yet erratic Sunwolves. The plucky underdogs are the victim of failed SANZAAR ambitions and the Japanese rugby-loving public will be worse off for it.
The usual suspects from the New Zealand conference will be pushing for the title again as the Crusaders look to win it for the fourth time in a row. The Chiefs will be led by former Wales coach Warren Gatland, and the Blues will be boosted by the addition of All Blacks golden boy, Beauden Barrett. His departure will allow his younger brother Jordan to step into the limelight, adding to an incredibly impressive Hurricanes side. The best conference in the tournament is rounded off by the Highlanders who may go through a transitional phase this year. That said, these five could beat any team from the other conferences on any given weekend.
Australian rugby could continue its descent this season as they too have suffered several losses to big players leaving for European money. They will talk a good game but there must be doubts as to whether they can close the increasing gap between themselves and the rest of the competition. While the Wallabies are able to piece together a decent match-day squad, there simply is no longer the depth in talent for four franchise teams to be competitive at a high level.
Of the South African teams only the Stormers have retained a credible number of their stars, putting them in pole position to take the conference. The rest will rely on youth, and Morné Steyn, to fill the voids left by their departed match-winners. This is the beginning of a World Cup cycle and this season could be one of identifying the talent that will take the Springboks into France 2023. The Jaguares will be their old combative selves, knowing that a second consecutive conference win is not impossible.
Friday morning opens with the Chiefs visiting the Blues, followed by the Brumbies hosting the Reds. Friday evening sees the Sharks kicking off against the Bulls. Saturday morning early birds can enjoy the Sunwolves against the Rebels at 5.45am, with the Crusaders against the Waratahs at 8.05am. The Stormers test themselves against the Hurricanes at 3.05pm that afternoon and the Lions round off the weekend in Argentina against the Jaguares at 1am on Sunday morning.
