There would have been much head shaking by those in the North, as the Crusaders and Highlanders recorded opening wins in the New Zealand Conference, and while the losers hardly shamed themselves – it is easy to see how the patient and uncompromising rugby of the South eventually subjugated their rivals.
The 2012 Super Rugby competition commenced with two of the competition’s flagship teams – responsible for no less than ten titles between them – and such pedigree didn’t disappoint as first class rugby graced Eden Park for the first time since the All Blacks hoisted their second World Cup over their heads.
With referees keen to see the high drama of the ruck unfold to the letter of the law, there was interest to the varying degrees of breakdown dominance by the New Zealand Conference outfits.
The Highlanders ascendancy in this area even conquered the vaunted midfield of Sonny Bill Williams and Richard Kahui; but on the other side of the spectrum the way the Stormers bullied the Hurricanes up front at times.
The Crusaders and Blues traded leads throughout an encounter that was superb for the game, where their efforts were led by the likes of Kieran Read and Jerome Kaino, with the World Cup winning blindside shifted to eight giving him a head-to-head with his All Blacks back row comrade, and many would suggest the bruising hitman for the hosts claimed honours in a terrific battle in the loose.
Indeed, much of the new World Champions success came from those two men and a certain Richie McCaw, who leads arguably the game’s finest loose trio to a perhaps unholy command of the ruck.
Read and Kaino were backed by a fantasy selectors dream pack with nine World Cup winning All Blacks spread between the forwards at Eden Park.
The excitement however in the opening clash was that the two teams were relatively educated at the tackle area and were eager to play fast running rugby – which naturally cannot occur without efficient or quick ball.
The Highlanders work up in the harsh classic rugby environment of Hamilton was splendid considering the absence of ten players, and the revival of last season is clearly no flash as the Chiefs sparkling rearguard was unable to score tries, although lady luck’s cruel twist on the Waikato based team’s injuries was a sight to behold.
The Chiefs lost five players from that defeat.
Meanwhile the Hurricanes were tagged with Super Rugby’s opening round equivalent of mission impossible, taking on the 2011 South African Conference champions and strong South African title hopes the Stormers at Newlands.
The men from Wellington endured the harshest reception, revealing of when the Cape frowns upon rival rugby teams, but despite a huge squad turnover and many kiwi scribes righting off Mark Hammett’s men, they left the daunting coliseum with heads held high.
The Stormers scrum was all powerful on occasions, while the Hurricanes ended up on the wrong end of the penalty count, but their heroics were defined when holding out the Stormers with 13 men from numerous phases at one point.
Beauden Barrett made a sparkling debut for the Hurricanes at first five-eighth, and it will be an exciting time in coming weeks as the New Zealand production line at ten is humming – with the Taranaki playmaker joining the likes of the Crusaders Tyler Bleyendaal, Highlanders Colin Slade, the Blues Gareth Anscombe and the Chiefs Aaron Cruden as a burgeoning queue that will one day challenge the master himself – Dan Carter.
Most importantly, for aficionados of the running game once again the New Zealand Conference franchises didn’t disappoint, playing their with their usual up tempo verve that occasionally doesn’t grace the Australian or South African derbies.
New Zealand Conference Round One
Blues 18 – 19 Crusaders
Chiefs 19 – 23 Highlanders
Stormers 39 – 26 Hurricanes
New Zealand Conference Round Two
2 March – Chiefs v Blues @ Waikato Stadium
2 March – Lions v Hurricanes @ Coca-Cola Park
3 March – Highlanders v Crusaders @ Forsyth Barr Stadium