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14/02/2008 10:53
JJ Harmse
With the Super 14 upon us, what can we expect this time around?
Well, rather than giving you some predictions on who will do what, I dipped into the official 2008 media guide to bring you some irrelevant information about the Australian and New Zealand sides.
Here goes.
Starting with the Brumbies and records, Mortlock will play in his 100th Super Rugby match on Friday, having scored 875 points in a remarkable career that started back in 1998. He has scored 48 tries, kicked 127 conversions and 127 penalties and will no doubt add many more this year.
Polynesian influence
A familiar face to South Africans would be New Zealand-born Huia Edmonds who played a couple of games for the Stormers in recent years before transferring to Canberra.
He is joined by two other New Zealand-born players in Francis Fainifo and prop John Ulugia. Both were born in Auckland.
The Polynesian influence in Brumbies rugby is spreading and this year the likes of Christian Lealiifano (flyhalf), Peter Betham (fullback) and Salesi Ma'afu (prop) will join regulars like George Smith and Jone Tawake to add diversity.
The Brumbies, of course, are home to the Faingaa twins. Anthony, an inside centre, played in three Super 14 games last year, while Saia has played 15 times as a hooker.
Guaranteed centurion
The Waratahs have recruited rugby league star, Timana Tahu, who played 159 games in eight years of the 13-man code for Parramatta, Newcastle and Australia. He has signed with the 'Tahs until 2011, while another ex-league star, Lote Tuqiri, has signed until 2012.
Look out for Tongan-born Alfi Mafi on the wing, who also started out in league.
David Lyons should be one guaranteed centurion for the Sydney team, having played 93 times in Super Rugby.
The Reds will have a very cosmopolitan outfit as well as a new coach in Phil Mooney. Josh Afu (loose forward), Ole Avei (hooker), Rodney Blake (prop), Charlie Fetoai (centre), AJ Gilbert (loose forward), Leroy Houston (loose forward), Herman Hunt (prop), Digby Ioane (wing), Chris Siale (centre) and Brando Va'aulu (wing), are all of Polynesian heritage and veteran Andrew Walker is of course the best known Aborigine player of the last decade.
Avei, Fetoai, Houston, Hunt, Ioane, Siale and Va'aulu were all born in New Zealand, while Henri Veratau (wing) and Will Genia (scrumhalf), was born in Papua New Guinea. Also, Avei is Ioane's uncle!
Kiwi contingent
The scandalous Western Force team, who love clobbering small animals and teammates as much as they do scoring tries, have also recruited from neighbouring countries.
With their coach, John Mitchell, a former All Black coach, one can expect a big Kiwi contingent in Perth. Adam Clarke (scrumhalf) was born in Mataura, Pek Cowan (prop) in Wellington, Tamaiti Horua in Nelson, Junior Pelesasa (centre) and Troy Takiari (prop) in Auckland and Josh Taupu in Christchurch. Scott Daruda hails from Papua New Guinea and that brilliant young flanker, David Pocock from Gweru in Zimbabwe.
Moving over to Auckland itself, you will find 11 All Blacks in the Blues team that is coached by an Aussie, David Nucifora. As usual, they have their fair share of Tongans, Fijians and Samoans. Ironically, one of the two Australian-born members in their squad, Benson Stanley, hails from a famous New Zealand rugby family and his uncle, Joe Stanley, was an All Black for many years.
Numerous records
The Chiefs have Jono Gibbes as captain for the sixth consecutive year and Ian Forster for the fifth consecutive year as coach. They have been bridesmaids for too long and this may just be the time for them to go all the way. They have lethal finishers with Sitiveni Sivivatu (27 tries in 48 games), Viliame Waqaseduadua (four tries in 17 games), Lelia Masaga (eight tries in 15 games), Mils Muliaina (20 tries in 63 games) and Sosene Anesi (12 tries in 23 games) in the back three, expect spectacular tries from the Hamilton men.
The Crusaders are the true champions of Super Rugby and they have numerous records to their name. Caleb Ralph's 56 Super Rugby tries are just three short of Doug Howlett's record and with Howlett away at Munster, Ralph could grab the record... if he makes the Crusaders' match-22 He may find that harder than getting the tries record!
Leon MacDonald has played 104 Super games, but five were for the Chiefs in 1998, so he will become no doubt become only the fifth player to play 100 games for the Crusaders. Their most capped player, Reuben Thorne, will certainly add a couple more to his record of 121 appearances. He could also pass Anton Oliver (127) as New Zealand's most capped Super player of all time. By the way, George Gregan's record stands at 136 games.
Gene pool
Oliver's departure from the Highlanders was one of many. Too many, if you ask me. I cannot see the Highlanders winning more than four games this year and they are my pick for the wooden spoon. I know Dunedin is a hard place to travel to, but there are just too many draft players in the southern squad.
New coach Glen Moore has it all to do. Look out for Isaac Ross, a lock that played for Canterbury in their domestic competition. His father, Jock, was an All Black and his mother played netball for the Silver Ferns. Two of his brothers played for Manawatu and Mid-Canterbury respectively. Talk about a gene pool!
Another famous All Black, Brian Williams, have a son playing for the Highlanders. Fullback Paul Williams is back in Super Rugby again after he broke his leg three years ago playing for the Highlanders against the Blues.
Youngest player
The Hurricanes have picked teenager Zac Guildford, who at 18 will be the youngest player ever in Super Rugby. Christian Cullen, who was 20 when he made his Hurricanes debut, previously held the record.
They also have the Waldrom brothers, Scott and Thomas who are both loose forwards.
See how many of these names you can spot on the weekend. Enjoy the rugby!
Read JJ every Sunday in Rapport.
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