We're less than a week away from the start of the 2009 Super 14, and although it doesn't seem that long ago since we were celebrating the success of the All Blacks Grand Slam tour in November, we can't wait for the rugby season to begin.

The question on everybody's lips whether or not the Canterbury Crusaders can continue to dominate the competition without Robbie Deans as coach, and without the likes of Dan Carter and long-time servants Ruben Thorn and Caleb Ralph. The Crusaders will be on every one's hit list, but as far as we're concerned they should still be the front runners come semi-final time.

There biggest challenge within New Zealand should come from the Hurricanes, who head into the competition with undoubtedly the strongest side in the Super 14. Unfortunately for Hurricanes fans, the Wellington franchise has been the biggest underachievers in the competition, and they'll have to ramp up their game to have any chance of claiming their first Super 14 title.

The Highlanders have struggled in years gone by, and 2009 will definitely be a tough year for them - especially if they get off to a slow start. They have a solid side available, but if they pick up a few injuries they could find 2009 heading in the same direction as 2008. Despite this, we feel they have the talent to surprise a few, and if they can rebuild their once proud home record, they may just be in the hunt come semi-finals time.

The Chiefs have always been slow starters, which has cost them big-time later in the season. For them to have a successful Super 14 campaign they will need to start the year with a bang - and with wins over the Blues and Highlanders in the pre-season, they're showing good signs early on. They have speed to burn in the backs, and will be looking to Stephen Donald to lead them to success in 2009.

The Blues are always a danger of beating anyone on their day, but in recent years they've fallen off the pace in the back end of the competition. They don't have a solid first-five, and so Jimmy Goppeth and Tasesa Lavea will have all the weight placed squarely on their shoulders. We feel it will prove too heavy for them, and the Blues could be looking at another disappointing year. Blues fans will be hoping we're a long way off the mark, but we're just not sure...

In Australia, the team to keep an eye on will be the Western Force. While they've had their problems off the field (a reported player revolt against coach John Mitchell), they've continued to improve since their inception into the competition. They are a strong home side, but will need to improve their efforts away from home.

The Warratahs are the strongest of the Aussie teams, and will provide Australia with their best chance for success in 2009. Their only downfall is that they tend to choke when the pressure is on, and against teams like the Crusaders you just can't afford to be off your game. Look for them to be in the hunt late in the competition.

The Brumbies and the Reds have been the whipping boys of Australian rugby in the past few years, and we don't expect much to change in 2009. The Brumbies were once one of the strongest sides in the Super 12/14, but have suffered since losing players like Gregan and Larkham. The Reds always promise so much, but never seem to deliver.

The biggest challenge to the Crusader's tight grip on the trophy could come from a South African team. The Sharks, the Stormers and the Bulls have all played good footy in the past few years, and are always a constant threat - especially when playing at home. They will all need to learn to win away from home, or they could find themselves narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot - so close is the competition that you just can't afford to drop so many away games.

As for the Cheetahs and the Lions, well..the less said about them the better. They're yet to make an impact on the Super 14, and will more than likely be fighting it out at the bottom of the table.

This year will certainly be an interesting one, with new laws (a rejig of the ELV's), and the introduction of new referee laws meaning we'll all have to readjust to the new competition. And who knows? Maybe this will be the last Super 14, with rumours that yet another team will be added to the competition in either 2010 or 2011. The Australian's want to add a Japanese or Pacific Island team, which we think would be a great idea - it would help the growth of the game in the region, and it would mean even more rugby. How bad can that be?

Get ready, sports fans - this Friday it's all underway.

After an up and down 2008, Jimmy Cowan has been given the job of leading the Highlanders in 2009, beating out his Southland teammate Jaime Mackintosh for the role.

Jimmy Cowan had several run-ins with the law last year due to his problems with drinking, which led to him being charged twice for disorderly behaviour in the space of a couple of months, with another charge being dropped by police. His problems with alcohol almost led to him being axed from the All Blacks, and had it not been for the All Blacks management enforcing a complete alcohol ban on Cowan, he would never have had the chance to redeem himself in the black jersey.

Fortunately, he adhered to the liquor ban - and went on to produce some of the best form of his career to date. And, by the end of 2008, he had leap-frogged Andy Ellis and Piri Weepu to become the best halfback in the country.

All his hard work has now paid off, as he becomes the first Southlander to captain the Highlanders. And while he lacks experience captaining, he has a strong group of guys around him who will offer him the support he needs.

Cowan has stated that he will take a lot from what he's learned playing alongside Richie McCaw, and use that to help turn the form of the Highlanders around in 2009. From what we've seen of them at training, we think 2009 will be a major improvement on their 2008 season - which is one best forgotten.

Jaime Mackintosh and Jason Shoemark have been named as vice-captains to Cowan.

It's great to see Cowan taking his rugby more seriously, and giving alcohol the boot - it's saved the career of one of New Zealand's most gifted players.

The 2009 Super 14 competition is just around the corner, and while the teams are gearing up for a few pre-season games, the laws surrounding the referees is set for a major change.

In the past, all Super 14 games have been refereed by a neutral referee, to avoid any biased of any kind. But as of this year, the referee will be chosen based on form, rather than where they're from. This means we could have an Australian ref officiating a game between the Brumbies and the Crusaders, a South African ref in a game between the Bulls and the Reds, or a New Zealand ref calling a game between the Hurricanes and the Cheetahs.

What this does is force the refs to be in top form every week, because only the best refs will be given games to referee. And although there will be plenty of talk over refs showing biased towards their home team, the Super 14 bosses will be quick to stamp out any cheating.

In cricket, there has never really been an issue with having an umpire from the home country officiating in ODIs, and so rugby should be no different - at least at the Super 14 level. We don't expect the law to flow through into the international arena - that wouldn't be a good idea.

It's crazy to think that the rugby season is almost upon us again - only four weeks to go until the first game between the Highlanders and the Brumbies! It'll be great to get back into the swing of things again, though, especially with much of the Black Caps action being a washout so far.

The New Zealand rugby community has been hit by the sudden death of former All Black prop, John Drake, at his home in Mt Maunganui.

Drake, age 49, played in the 1987 World Cup final where the All Blacks defeated the French to claim the first ever rugby World Cup. Although he only played eight Tests for the All Blacks, he is regarded as being one of New Zealand's finest props.

Drake has also become one of Sky Sports top rugby commentators alongside Grant Nisbett and Tony Jonston, and most recently commentated the Bledisloe Cup Test in Hong Kong. His commentating style was like no other, and he never shied away from saying what was on his mind - no matter how biased or unpatriotic it seemed. He certainly said things as he saw them, something which not all commentators seem willing to do.

He will certainly be remembered as one of the real characters of New Zealand rugby on and off the field.

The cause of his sudden death are not yet known - no doubt more news will emerge in the coming days.

Drake leaves behind his wife and three daughters.

We here at the Attic send our condolences to his family and friends at this terrible time.

Rumours are starting to fly that former All Black Carl Hayman is wanting to return to New Zealand to play his rugby, after departing for Newcastle at the end of last year.

Hayman has been out of action in the English Premiership for the last month due to injury, and has been spending his time here in New Zealand - and it seems he's been bitten by the New Zealand bug, and a return down under may not be too far away.

At this stage it's all rumours, so no one really knows where he plans to play over the next year or two. But if he is indeed planning to return to New Zealand it's great news for the All Blacks, and New Zealand rugby in general.

Hayman is without doubt the best prop in the game at the moment, and while the All Blacks have been able to continue their dominance in the front row, having a guy like Hayman available would be an added bonus for Henry's team. Front rowers around the world will be hoping he stays put in Newcastle, because there wouldn't be many who would want to face up against Hayman, Hore and Woodcock. New Zealand fans, on the other hand, will be praying the rumours turn into a reality.

Unfortunately for Otago fans (that's you, Israel) Hayman is reportedly interested in making a switch to Taranaki (obviously due to his fondness for farming), which of course would make him available for the Hurricanes.

Whether or not he moves to Taranaki or Otago the most important thing is that he does come home, because the All Blacks are a far better team with guys like Hayman involved.

The NRL could be in line to lose another big name to rugby after it was uncovered that Tigers and Kiwis star, Benji Marshall, is eyeing up a code switch in the near future.

This follows the recent departure of Mark Gasnier and Sonny Bill Williams, both of whom are now playing rugby in Europe.

Benji has expressed interest in playing rugby in Japan during the NRL off season, which would see him remain in the NRL - but of course this is all dependent on whether his club will give him permission to take up rugby during the off season. With Benji's tendency to need surgery during his time off, it's unlikely any club would be happy about having their star player risk injury playing rugby.

The danger here is that if his club, presently the Tigers, doesn't allow him the chance to play in Japan, he may look to take up a permanent rugby contract in Europe - which would mean he would be lost to the game for good, and this would not be good for the NRL.

Benji has already won a Premiership with the Tigers in 2005, and of course was a part of that Kiwis team that won the World Cup, so in all honesty there's not a whole lot left for Benji to accomplish in the game. But we still feel he has a lot to offer the game in the NRL, and it would be a real shame to see him go.

Unfortunately, we feel he'll end up leaving the game to take up the big dollars in European rugby, because we don't see any club in the NRL wanting to risk such a valuable asset by allowing him to play union in Japan.

Although, if any club was willing to take that risk it could be a good way of getting the services of one of the most exciting players in the game as of 2010, when his Tigers contract expires...

The All Blacks will face their old World Cup nemesis, France, in pool play at the 2011 World Cup held here in New Zealand. It's no secret that the All Blacks don't have the best track record against France at the World Cup (although lets not forget we beat them in the final in 1987), but All Blacks fans can take comfort in the fact that the top two placed sides in each Pool will advance. So, even if we succumb to the French again, we're unlikely to lose to the Tongans, or one of the other two minnows yet to be named.

England, Argentina and Scotland make up the heavyweights in Pool B, and the two winners from this group will face either the All Blacks or France, depending on results. Based on last year's World Cup, Argentina must be considered the top dog in Pool B, especially when you consider England's poor form - although there's still a long way to go before 2011, so we might just be getting ahead of ourselves.

Australia will face Ireland and Italy in Pool C, while the Springboks will look to defend the 2007 title against Wales and Fiji in Pool D. The rest of the nations are yet to sort themselves out, but at this stage it looks like Canada and Japan will join Pool A, Romania and a play-off winner (most likely Portugal) in Pool B, Georgia and the USA in Pool C, and Samoa and Namibia in Pool D - these predictions are based on the teams playing in the 2007 World Cup, though, so the actual teams may vary.

The All Blacks may be known for choking at World Cups, but this time we'll be on home soil where we have a brilliant record - only losing to South Africa in Dunedin after an unbeaten record spanning the last few years.

Let's just say, we're already quietly optimistic...

It's been a fantastic year for the All Blacks, as they have looked to erase the memories of last years early exit from the World Cup.

And erase them they have.

Out of the fifteen games they've played (14 Tests and the game against Munster) they've won thirteen, which is an impressive result for a team that many people thought would struggle after Graham Henry was re-appointed as coach.

Henry, along with Steve Hanson and Wayne Smith, has moulded this All Blacks side into a very well drilled unit, and they've built up a squad capable of going through to the 2011 World Cup. Henry may have had his doubters, but no one can argue with the results he's helped produce on the field. The best thing about the way he's run this team is that he's abandoned his rotation policy, which was undoubtedly one of the main causes for the poor showing at the World Cup. Players are benefiting from regular game time, rather than being switched out every other week. We want to congratulate Henry, Smith and Hanson on their efforts this year - and it's nice to see that Smith has decided to stay on with the All Blacks, instead of taking the Ospreys job.

The only concern with this team is the lack of a genuine back-up for Richie McCaw and Dan Carter. Adam Thomson and Scott Waldrom are the two contenders as McCaw's understudy, but still have a long way to go before they're close to his level. They need more game time at the highest level, but it's not that easy to take McCaw off when he's such a vital part of the team. Stephen Donald has shown glimpses of brilliance, but was shown up for his lack of experience in the game against Munster. He too needs more time, but we feel he can get better over the next year.

Other than that, we feel the All Blacks are looking unstoppable right now - and that should be a worrying sign for all opposition.

Best Performance: vs Australia, Auckland 02/08/08: Only a week earlier they had put in their worst performance of the year, and many people thought the Wallabies would be too good in this Test. But the All Blacks were absolutely outstanding, and never looked like letting Australia into the game. Their kicking was spot on, and they attacked the Wallabies' lineouts causing many turnovers. The final score was 39-10, and most importantly it was the moment the All Blacks turned the corner and began to look unbeatable.

Worst Performance: vs Australia, Sydney 26/07/08: This was a shocking effort by the boys, who had gone down to the Springboks the week before. Australia weren't necessarily brilliant - rather, the All Blacks were bad, and thoroughly deserved to lose this one. Passes weren't sticking, and there were far too many turnovers - which the Wallabies were able to capitalise on. Not a game we remember fondly...

Newcomer of the Year: Richard Kahui: Many were surprised by his selection at the beginning of the year, but after his first Test against England there weren't many doubting him. He has shown he has the strength and speed to play at the highest level, and has put a lot of pressure on Conrad Smith for the center position. He is such a versatile player, and so long as he can remain injury free we expect to see a lot more of Kahui in the years to come.

Comeback of the Year: Ma'a Nonu: This was a hard one to choose when you consider the number of players who have fought their way back into the team. But Nonu has proven that he belongs in the All Blacks, and has cemented his spot at second-five. Many criticised him for being one dimensional, but this year he has developed his game to where he passes a lot more - which has made him a far tougher player than he was when he just ran it all the time. He may not be the greatest kicker, but his running game makes up for that by the bucket load. We have to give honourable mentions to Piri Weepu, Jerome Kaino and Isaia Toeava, all of whom have returned to the form we knew they were capable of.

Player of the Year: Mils Muliana: Another tough call, and we could quite easily have gone with McCaw or Carter - but we think this has been a standout year for Muliaina. He has developed his running game, and has shown many times throughout the year that he is a real handful on attack. He was as solid as a rock on defence, and very reliable at fullback under the high ball. Muliaina often gets overlooked for the likes of Carter and McCaw, but we certainly wouldn't be as good if he wasn't there. We really think he has been the standout of the All Blacks in 2008.

Now the countdown can begin until the 2009 All Black season begins - only 195 days to go.

The All Blacks have capped of their Grand Slam Tour in style, beating England 32-6 in what was another game of two different halves. The win gives them their third Grand Slam title, and ends the year in the best possible fashion.

England came out strong, just as Scotland, Ireland and Wales did, and just like those three England kept in the hunt in what was a first half of penalties. England's only downfall was their discipline, which proved costly - four players spent time in the sin bin during the game. That's a total of forty minutes without a player on the field - and at one point they were down to thirteen men. They were constantly infringing at the ruck, which left referee Alain Rolland with little option but to go to the yellow card.

The first half was dominated by penalties, and the game never really got into third gear - but with the All Black's recent efforts in the second half, you just got the feeling they would blow England off the park in that part of the game. And that's exactly what they did, running in three impressive trys, and most importantly keeping England from crossing the line.

The only consolation for England is that they were the only team to score against the All Blacks in the second fourty - although it was only one measly penalty.

The All Blacks looked as sharp as they have all year, and the second try to Mils Muliaina was something truly special. Dan Carter put in a little kick across the field, straight into the arms of Muliaina who ran away to score his second of the night. Ma'a Nonu scored the last try, which really caps off a fantastic year for him - he's fought back well to secure his spot in the team, after struggling to cement his place in recent years.

Aside from Carter's shots at goal, which were unusually bad, this was the best possible finish to the year. The All Blacks have won thirteen out of their fifteen games, and only dropped Tests to South Africa and Australia.

Australia, on the other hand, have not finished in the same impressive style, going down 21-18 to Wales - who managed to hold off a late run by the Wallabies. After all the talk about how Robbie Deans was going to be the saviour of Australian rugby, it's going to be interesting to see how they react to their year under Deans - which has been unspectacular, to say the least.

We said earlier in the year that it would take some time for Deans to start improving the Wallabies given their lack of depth in key positions, but the Australians have never been the most patient bunch when it comes to unsuccessful teams - and we can't wait to see what transpires over the next few months. We think he'll be safe for now, but he'll have to start showing some forward momentum next year or Deans may find himself on the growing pile of scraped Aussie coaches.

It's unfortunate that this is the end of the rugby year for us here in New Zealand - although it's not too long a wait for the Super 14 to begin next February. Stay tuned for our review of the 'year that was' for New Zealand rugby in the days to come.

For now, though, we can bask in the success of the All Blacks - and turn on the cricket.

The All Blacks proved too strong in the second half, as they defeated the Welsh 29-9 at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday. It's the fifth game of the end of year tour that the All Blacks have gone without having any points scored against them in the second fourty, which is an outstanding effort when you consider the caliber of teams they've faced.

Wales came out strong, much the same as Ireland did, but just couldn't match the All Black's intensity in the second half. They looked to attack early on, and led 9-6 at half time through the boot of Stephen Jones, but once the second half began they looked out of their depth. Their scrum was terrible throughout the game, as Tony Woodcock dominated Adam Jones up front, and without quality ball in the second fourty they never got a chance to get their wingers involved - although when they did they got shut down by the All Black's impressive defence.

The All Blacks completely dominated the second half, and played the game at a high tempo, which ground down the Welsh defence. Ma'a Nonu scored the first try in the second half after a good team drive forward, and some good attacking footy from the backs. Jerome Kaino scored right on full time, after being denied earlier in the game, pushing the All Blacks out to a twenty point win.

The All Blacks have been very good at nullifying the passion these teams bring in the first half, and then shutting them down completely late in the game. It would be good to see them score a few more points in the first half of their games, but it does illustrate the level of intensity that's brought to these Tests early on.

England will be the last stop on their Grand Slam Tour, and the way England has been playing it should be a walk in the park for the All Blacks - although England always save their best for these end of year tour clashes.

The All Blacks will be looking to stamp their authority on this game, and finish the year on a high. And, with rumours spreading that Wayne Smith will be leaving to coach the Welsh club, Ospreys, a solid win will be a good send off for him.

This will be the last game of rugby for the year - here's hoping it's an exciting end to whats been an outstanding year of rugby action.

Graham Henry has once again selected a full strength side for the Grand Slam tour, and this time the Welsh will feel the full force of the All Blacks. The only change from the side that played Ireland last weekend comes at center, where Richard Kahui replaces the injured Conrad Smith. Smith has been suffering from a groin injury for some time now, and will not be risked against Wales.

Kahui has been in outstanding form when given his opportunity's in the black jersey, so the All Blacks won't lose much with Kahui at 13. Many people doubted his selection at the beginning of the year, but the more Kahui plays the better he seems to get.

The only other selection concern comes from Tony Woodcock, who has been bracketed with John Afoa and Neemia Tialata, who could also miss the game due to illness. If Woodcock gets suspended, Afoa will move into the starting lineup, meaning either Ben Franks or Jaime Mackintosh will get a chance on the bench. There could be a possibility that both will get game time if Tialata succumbs to his illness before kickoff.

Both newcomers have a lot to learn at the highest level, but there's no better place to learn than being thrown into the lions den.

Based on the evidence we don't think Woodcock should be suspended (for what looks like a little push to the face rather than a punch), but then again we won't be surprised if the English board comes down hard on him.

Joe Rokocoko is certainly making up for lost time as he plays his third game in seven days, backing up from the clash with Munster on Wednesday. He is back to his best form, and deserves to be considered the best winger in the country at the moment. He makes a point of going hunting for work, and when he gets the ball in hand he poses a real threat for the opposition. Based on the Test against Ireland he also seems to be motivating his cousin, Sivivatu, to start finding the form we know he's capable of - which can't be a bad thing, if both of them are in good form.

Piri Weepu, Corey Flynn and Stephen Donald will also back up from Wednesday, but will start off the bench, while Kieran Read also retains his spot on the bench, alongside Isaia Toeava.

Like the game against Ireland, the All Blacks should be too strong for the Welsh - who were unimpressive against the Canadians last week. We expect them to come out fired up for the first twenty minutes, only to fade as the game goes on. This All Blacks side is one of the best we've seen for a while now, and are well on their way to securing another Grand Slam victory.

Here's the full team:

Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Sitvini Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata/John Afoa, Kevin Mealamu, Tony Woodcock/John Afoa/Neemia Tialata.

Reserves: Corey Flynn, Anthony Boric, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava (one to be added).

I spoke to a lot of people before the Test on Sunday morning (NZ time), and I was very surprised at how many people thought the All Blacks were in danger of losing to the Irish. So many people thought that this Irish side was going to be strong enough to out-play our strongest side, and that playing at the famous Croke Park in Dublin would give the Irish all the motivation they needed.

Well, I can honestly say that I was not surprised by what happened during the Test. The first half was always going to be tough, as they always are against the Irish. And if that penalty try had not been given, the scores would have been locked at three all - but I don't think anyone could argue that that wasn't the right call.

The All Blacks always save their best efforts against Ireland for the second half, and this game was no different. Joe Rokocoko set up Nonu for the first try after the break in what was a fantastic move, before Brad Thorn charged over for the second try.

It was inevitable that the All Blacks would push on in the second half, and the Irish would be left wondering what could have been. In all honesty, the All Blacks beat them without even getting out of cruise control - while the Irish never really looked like scoring against the solid defence of the All Blacks.

I like the Irish team, and think they have some really talented players, especially young Luke Fitzgerald - but I still feel they have a long way to go before they can beat the All Blacks. The problem is that they spend far too much time kicking the ball away, and when you're kicking to the likes of Muliaina and Rokocoko, even Sivivatu (who had one of his better games this year), you're always going to be on the back foot - and this Test was no different.

Ireland have the talent to run the ball a lot more, and would pose a greater threat if the did run it, but for some reason when they play the All Blacks they feel the need to kick the ball away - and unfortunately for them, they'll never win with that game plan.

And who ever believed that Ronan O'Gara is a class above Dan Carter? They only need to watch that Test to see the damage Carter can do when he runs the ball. It helps that Carter can tackle, too, while O'Gara is a definite weak point in the Irish defensive line. There are few who even come close to being in Carters league at the moment.

Brad Thorn and Ali Williams had outstanding performances (Williams was named Man of the Match, although I thought Thorn was the stronger of the two), and Ma'a Nonu continued to prove that he is the answer to New Zealand's second-five problem. Rokocoko, too, had a strong performance, and continued to go looking for work rather than staying out on the wing. That seemed to spark Sivivatu into action, as he made some of the strong runs that we've all been waiting for.

The next Test for the All Blacks is against Wales, who shouldn't pose too many issues for the All Blacks. It should be another case of too strong, too fit and too good for the Welsh boys to handle.

But, just before that we've got the game against Munster to look forward to, and it's no surprise that the side named has a few new players getting a run. Scott Waldrom, Jason Eaton and Ben Franks all get their first run of the tour, while Alby Mathewson and Hika Elliot will come off the bench. It's a relatively inexperienced side, but there's still plenty of talent there. Weepu will captain the side, which suggests he'll be rested for the Test against Wales.

Here's the side to play Munster:

Cory Jane, Hosea Gear, Anthony Tuitavake, Isaia Toeava, Joe Rokocoko, Stephen Donald, Piri Weepu (c), Liam Messam, Scott Waldrom, Adam Thomson, Jason Eaton, Ross Filipo, Ben Franks, Corey Flynn, Jaime Mackintosh.

Reserves: Hikawera Elliot, John Afoa, Brad Thorn, Kieran Read, Alby Mathewson, Richard Kahui, Mils Muliaina.

According to one Irish newspaper, the All Black's are the most hated side in rugby - and that the only people that love them are us New Zealanders. We're not sure about where they got their facts from, though, because the All Blacks are known for their wide appeal across the world, especially in the UK. Why else would they get 50,000 people to the game against Scotland?

It certainly wasn't just to watch the Scots.

The Irish may 'apparently' hate us (and chances are they won't like us much after the weekend, either), because they are about to face to the strongest possible All Blacks side - Henry has has chosen a full strength side for the second Test of the Grand Slam tour.

The Irish will definitely prove to be a tougher Test than the one against Scotland, but like the Scots they have yet to taste victory against the mighty All Blacks - and once again the All Blacks should prove to strong.

Mils Muliaina returns to the team after missing the first part of the tour to be at home with his new born son Max. Toeava has done a fantastic job filling in, but when Muliaina is available you pick him - after all he is, in our opinion, the best fullback in the world. Toeava will move to the bench, where he can cover a whole range of positions.

Joe Rokocoko has retained his place on the wing after an impressive return to Test rugby last week. He looked to get involved wherever he could, and it was certainly enough to secure one of the wing births. His cousin Sivivatu will return to the other wing after a week off - maybe the return of Joe can shake Sivivatu up a bit, and help him get back to the form we know he's capable of.

In the forwards Tony Woodcock, Brad Thorn, Rodney So'oialo and Jerome Kaino all make their way back to the team after resting against the Scots. Ali Williams will play his third game on tour, while Richie McCaw and Neemia Tialata return to the starting lineup.

It doesn't get much stronger than this, and the Irish will need to be on top of their game if they want to avoid a thrashing. They did perform well earlier in the year, but this is an All Blacks side that has grown since then, and should prove far too strong. It doesn't help that Ireland have only had a Test against Canada as a warm up to the main event...

This is one game where the Irish will need all the luck they can get.

Here are the full teams:

All Blacks: Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sitivini Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (C), Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Kevin Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Corey Flynn, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.

Ireland: Girvan Dempsey, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (C), Luke Fitzgerald, Robert Kearney, Ronan O'Gara, Thomas O'Leary, Jaime Heaslip, David Wallace, Alan Quinlan, Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, John Hayes, Rory Best, Marcus Horan.

Reserves: Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley, Stephen Ferris, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Paddy Wallace, Kieth Earls.

Lastly, we come to the Blues - a side that can either blow all the other teams out of the water, or go down like a sinking ship.

So often the Blues start off with a hiss and a roar, only to start slipping towards the back end of the season.

Like the Crusaders the Blues have lost some big names, like Nick Evans, Daniel Braid and Troy Flavell - all of whom have been important factors in the side's success. Life without these three will certainly test the Blues, but they have definitely brought in the right players to replace them.

Ali Williams makes his return to Auckland after a year with the Crusaders, where he will no doubt have learned some valuable things from Robbie Deans. Hopefully his return to the big smoke won't affect his rugby, although he's always been a better player at Test level than he has at the lower levels.

Braid has been replaced by Josh Blackie, who returns to New Zealand from Japan. The former Highlander is certainly capable of filling Braid's shoes, although he may struggle to adapt to the intensity of the game for a few weeks. Aside from that, he will be a valuable asset to the Blues.

Jimmy Goppeth is also new to the Blues, and has a tough task ahead of him guiding the Blues around the field. He is the type of player who is either outstanding or really terrible, and this may be a weak spot for the Blues - especially when you consider his backup is Tasesa Lavea.

Pat Lam is the new coach of the Blues, and this will be good for the predominantly Pacific squad. He certainly knows how to get the best out of the Pacific boys, which is something previous Blues coaches have failed to do. In fact the only other coach who could do this for the Blues was Graham Henry.

The Blues are capable of winning the Super 14, but like the Hurricanes they will need to play consistently throughout the entire competition. Anything short of a top four finish for the Blues will be considered a failure.

No pressure, lads.

Here's their full squad:

Tony Woodcock (North Harbour) , John Afoa (Auckland), Charlie Faumuina (Auckland), Tevita Mailau (Auckland) , Keven Mealamu (Auckland), Tom McCartney (Auckland), Ali Williams (Auckland), Anthony Boric (North Harbour), Jay Williams (Auckland), Kurtis Haiu (Auckland), Justin Collins (Northland), Josh Blackie (Auckland), Onosai Auva'a (Auckland), Jerome Kaino (Auckland), Chris Lowery (Auckland), Taniela Moa (Auckland), Chris Smylie (North Harbour), Tasesa Lavea (Auckland), Jimmy Gopperth (North Harbour), Michael Hobbs (Wellington, draft), Benson Stanley (Auckland), Jamie Helleur (Auckland), Anthony Tuitavake (North Harbour), Joe Rokocoko (Auckland), Rudi Wulf (North Harbour), Rene Ranger (Northland), Paul Williams (Auckland), Isaia Toeava (Auckland).

We now move our attention to the Waikato Chiefs - another side that has failed to make a serious impact on the Super 14/12. For some reason, they've always struggled to step up from the provincial level to the Super 14 level, and when you consider the players they have at their disposal it's extremely hard to see why.

Unfortunately for Chiefs fans it's hard to see them making an impact on the Super 14 in 2009, because they've lost some influential players from their 2008 squad. Jonno Gibbs and Tom Willis have both been great servants of Waikato rugby, and will leave a pretty big hole in the squad.

Hika Elliot has been drafted to the Chiefs to replace Willis, and whilst he's a great player and a very excellent lineout thrower, he lacks that vital experience that comes with years of rugby. We think bringing in Elliot was a good move, but it will take time for him to build up that experience that Willis brought to the squad.

Their front row is also a little inexperienced when compared to the other four franchises, and this could take a toll on the team as the competition moves into the latter rounds. They will all need to step up in order to lay a good platform for their backs to operate.

Speaking of backs - that's something that they don't need to worry about at all. They are packed with very good impact players - players who can pull something out of the bag at will. The likes of Mils Muliaina, Sivivatu and Richard Kahui bring that important experience factor, while Lelia Masaga and Sosene Anesi bring the flair that the Chiefs love to play with.

In the halves you've got Brendon Leonard and Stephen Donald, who are two players who continue to grow, and will lead the Chiefs around the field. If they can stay fit, they will certainly help the Chiefs chances.

Unfortunately, we don't think their forward pack will be up to the task, as there is a definite lack of experience - and you need more that just raw talent to survive in the Super 14.

They will certainly surprise a few sides along the way, but in terms of making a charge at the trophy - we don't think they'll have the steam.

Here's their full squad:

Arizona Taumalolo (Waikato), Ben May (Waikato), James McGougan (Bay of Plenty), Joe Savage (Bay of Plenty),Hika Elliot (Hawkes Bay, draft), Aled de Malmanche (Waikato), Kevin O'Neill (Waikato),Toby Lynn (Waikato), Craig Clarke (Taranaki, draft), Mark Burman (Waikato), Liam Messam (Waikato), Tanerau Latimer (Bay of Plenty), Serge Lilo (Wellington, draft), Sione Lauaki (Waikato), Colin Bourke (Bay of Plenty), Brendon Leonard (Waikato), Toby Morland (Otago, draft), Stephen Donald (Waikato), Michael Delany (Bay of Plenty), Callum Bruce (Waikato), Jackson Willison (Waikato), Richard Kahui (Waikato), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato), Lelia Masaga (Counties Manukau), Sosene Anesi (Waikato), James Wilson (Southland, draft), Malili Muliaina (Waikato), Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato).

Time now to take a look at the North Island franchises, starting with the Wellington Hurricanes - who really have been the biggest under-achievers of recent years.

For at team packed with so many of the game's best, they certainly have not produced the results expected of them. They've come oh-so-close in recent years, only to slip up at the last hurdle.

They will once again go into the competition with high expectations placed upon them, and for good reason. They have one of the most exciting backlines, a very good loose forward trio, and some very useful backup players waiting in the wings.

With this said, there should be no reason why they can't make a good challenge at the title. The only thing stopping them is themselves...

For some reason they always seem to break down at crucial moments, which in the Super 14 you just can't do. It's a close competition, and there's always someone ready to overtake you.

The biggest hurdle for the Hurricanes will be going into the competition without an experienced first-five. Daniel Kirkpatrick looks like he has the goods, but he is very young, and has not played in the Super 14 before. Willie Ripia got some quality game time earlier in the year, but he too is relatively new and untested. This may see Piri Weepu spend a bit of time at first-five, as he did in the Air New Zealand Cup - which certainly isn't a bad thing considering how well he played. The only problem with this is the simple fact that Weepu is a much better halfback then he is a first-five...

Their outside backs will be something to watch, with Cory Jane, Hosea Gear, David Smith and Zac Guilford all showing their skills throughout the Air New Zealand Cup. Then, when you add Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Tamati Ellison into the mix, you've got one heck of a backline at your disposal.

Their forwards will be strong, and will benefit from the experience of their All Blacks like Andrew Hore and Rodney So'oialo, who will most likely captain the team once again. There are two newcomers to watch - Victor Vito, who showed glimpses of what he's capable of in the Air New Zealand Cup, but has also showed his inexperience at times, is an exciting prospect. And Dane Coles, who had a wonderful Air New Zealand Cup campaign, and has certainly put his name on the All Black selector's minds for the years ahead.

Any team boasting this lineup would be confident of lifting the trophy at the end of the year, and the Hurricanes will certainly be so. However, they will need to overcome the mental aspect of the game if they are to have any success in 2009. It's plagued them for so many years now, and if they can't shake it with this squad, they may never make it over that final hurdle...

Here's their full squad:

John Schwalger (Wellington), Neemia Tialata (Wellington), Jacob Ellison (Wellington), Tim Fairbrother (Wellington), Andrew Hore (Taranaki) , Dane Coles (Wellington), Jason Eaton (Taranaki), Jeremy Thrush (Wellington), Bryn Evans (Hawkes Bay), Api Naikatini (Wellington), Faifili Levave (Wellington), Scott Waldrom (Taranaki), Karl Lowe (Hawkes Bay), Victor Vito (Wellington), Rodney So'oialo (Wellington), Josh Bradnock (Manawatu), Alby Mathewson (Wellington), Piri Weepu (Wellington), Willie Ripia (Taranaki), Dan Kirkpatrick (Wellington), Ma'a Nonu (Wellington), Conrad Smith (Wellington), Jason Kawau (Southland, draft), Tamati Ellison (Wellington), Hosea Gear (Wellington), David Smith (Wellington), Zac Guildford (Hawkes Bay), Cory Jane (Wellington).

Today we're taking a look at the Canterbury Crusaders - easily the greatest Super rugby side of all time. However, there have been a lot of changes in the Canterbury region, and it's going to be interesting to see how these changes affect the Crusaders.

The biggest change is that Robbie Deans has departed, and we all know the impact he had on the side. Todd Blackadder has been given the task of filling the giant boots left by Deans, and while he has experience coaching at the provincial level, this step up will surely test his abilities to keep the Crusaders at the top of the food chain.

The biggest thing to Blackadder's advantage is that he has been able to stick with players from within the Canterbury and Tasman region - only Jason MacDonald has been drafted from Otago. This means the squad will be very familiar with one another, and will be able to gel together quickly. It also helps that the large majority of the squad have experience with the Crusaders.

Life at the Crusdaders will definitely be different without the likes of Ruben Thorne, Caleb Ralph and Dan Carter (off on his sabbatical...), but there is a lot of new talent emerging in the region - none more so than young Colin Slade, who proved capable of filling in for Dan Carter during the Air New Zealand Cup.

Thomas Waldrom has made the move down south from Wellington to help bolster the loose forwards, and when you consider that they already have McCaw and Kieran Read, it makes for a pretty exciting loose forward trio.

Whether or not the Crusaders can continue to dominate like they have for the past decade is any one's guess, but we don't expect too much to change. They may not be quite as filled with superstars as they have been in the past, but don't count them out.

They are the kings when it comes to Super 14 rugby, and it'll take something truly special to dethrone them.

Here's their full squad:

Wyatt Crockett (Canterbury), Ben Franks (Tasman), Owen Franks (Canterbury), Bronson Murray (Canterbury), Corey Flynn (Canterbury), Jason MacDonald (Otago, draft), Brad Thorn (Tasman), Ross Filipo (Canterbury), Issac Ross (Canterbury), Michael Patterson (Canterbury), Kieran Read (Canterbury), Richie McCaw (Canterbury), George Whitelock (Canterbury), Thomas Waldrom (Canterbury), Nasi Manu (Canterbury), Jonathan Poff (Tasman), Andy Ellis (Canterbury), Kahn Fotuali'i (Tasman), Colin Slade (Canterbury), Stephen Brett (Canterbury), Tim Bateman (Canterbury), Ryan Crotty (Canterbury), Casey Laulala (Canterbury), Adam Whitelock (Canterbury), Kade Poki (Tasman), Sean Maitland (Canterbury), Jared Payne (Canterbury), Leon MacDonald (Canterbury).

There are changes-a-plenty for the All Blacks, as they get ready to face the Scots at Edinburgh this weekend. Only three of the players who started against the Wallabies last Saturday will start this weekend - Isaia Toeava, Ali Williams and Stephen Donald.

Before people start talking about "rotation" again, let's remember that Graham Henry purposely took a large squad so that he could give the new players an opportunity to play at the highest level, and Scotland will definitely be the easier of the four Tests - although that doesn't mean they'll be a walk-over.

Liam Messam and Kieran Read will debut in the loose forwards, while Jaime Mackintosh will make his debut in the front row. All three have earned their spot after consistent rugby over the past year.

The biggest news is that Kevin Mealamu will captain the side for the first time in his long career. With McCaw on the bench and Rodney So'oialo sitting the game out, Mealamu is the most experienced player in the team, and he has experience captaining with the Blues.

Joe Rokocoko makes his long awaited return to the All Blacks after missing virtually the whole year with various injuries. It's going to be interesting to see whether he can continue his good form that he was showing at the end of last season.

Here's the full lineup:

Isaia Toeava, Anthony Tuitavake, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko, Stephen Donald, Piri Weepu, Liam Meesam, Adam Thomson, Kieran Read, Ali Williams, Antthony Boric, John Afoa, Kevin Mealamu (c), Jaime Mackintosh.

Reserves: Corey Flynn, Neemia Tialata, Ross Filipo, Richie McCaw, Andy Ellis, Dan Carter, Cory Jane.

Over the course of the next five days, we will be reviewing the five New Zealand Super 14 franchises for the upcoming 2009 season. Last Friday the squads were announced, and we will be looking at who's in, and who didn't make the cut.

We're starting off with the Otago Highlanders, who have been struggling for the past few seasons - mainly due to the fact that they haven't been able to keep the same squad together for any long period of time.

We said earlier in the year that if the Highlanders were to stand any chance of improving on their poor 2008 season they needed to keep the same squad together in order for them to grow as a team.

Well, the great news for Otago fans is that they've finally been able to do that (minus one or two players), and all the draft players from last year have returned to the deep south.

We certainly don't think they'll go on to win the title (although Israel will be hoping they can...), but by keeping the bulk of 2008's squad they can certainly improve, and will be able to surprise a few sides.

They will be most improved in the back line, where they have secured the services of some good talent. Most importantly, Fetu'u Vainikolo has returned to Otago, which gives them some flair out wide and a genuine try-scoring machine. Added to the mix are Jason Shoemark and Jayden Hayward, both of whom have been outstanding in the Air New Zealand Cup. Israel Dagg is also coming south, and will replace Paul Williams, who is returning to the Blues. That's four exciting players, and should be the answer to Otago's lack of try-scoring talent in recent years.

Their forwards will continue to be a handful for the other sides in the competition. Although they're not full of 'superstars', they're very good at the set pieces, and will be led well from the likes of Jaime Mackintosh, Adam Thomson and Tom Donnelly. The loss of Craig Newby is pretty big, as is the loss of Hoani MacDonald, but they have enough talent to move on.

The only concern with the squad is that rookie winger Karne Hesketh has not been selected. He was undoubtedly their best player in the Air New Zealand Cup, and the top try scorer with seven. Why on earth you'd leave him out is beyond us - apparently it has something to do with his lack of genuine pace, but when you can break tackles like he can who needs pace? He must feel more than slightly aggrieved that he's missed out, while Lucky Mulipola has made it after a poor season.

It's a real shame that one of the other teams didn't pick him up in the draft, because he really is a great player.

For the Highlanders to succeed in 2009 they have to start winning at home, and return to the days where the House of Pain meant just that - no one could beat them. Now-a-days, it's more of a House of Pain for Otago fans. If they can start winning at home, they will be able to make a strong push for the semi-finals, especially as they have always been good playing in South Africa. It's a long road ahead, but they are finally able to grow as a team - and that could mean that success is just around the corner.

Here's the full squad:

Jaime Mackintosh (Southland), Clint Newland (Otago), Chris King (Otago), Anthony Perenise (Wellington, draft), David Hall (Souhtland), Jason Rutledge (Southland), Hayden Triggs (Otago), Tom Donnelly (Otago), Josh Bekhuis (Otago), Ross Kennedy (Otago), Adam Thomson (Otago), Tim Boys (Souhtland), Aland Soakai (Otago), Steven Setephano (Otago), George Naoupo (Hawkes Bay, draft), Jimmy Cowan (Southland), Sean Romans (Otago), Daniel Bowden (Otago), Matt Berquist (Hawkes Bay, draft), Jason Shoemark (Hawkes Bay, draft), Jayden Hayward (Taranaki), Johnny Leota (Otago), Kendrick Lynn (Southland), Brett Mather (Otago), Lucy Mulipola (Otag), Fetu'u Vainikola (Otago), Ben Smith (Otago), Israel Dagg (Hawkes Bay,draft).

The All Blacks had to fight hard to beat the Wallabies in Hong Kong on Saturday night, coming back from being 14-6 down to win 19-14 - in what really was a game of two halves.

The Aussies were definitely the better of the two sides in the first half, and didn't look to be affected by the long period off between Tests, whereas the All Blacks started off in less than ideal fashion.

The handling was poor, and there didn't seem to be any cohesion between the players - which seems strange, seeing that most of the players had some game time during the Air New Zealand Cup. The Aussies, on the other hand, were attacking out wide and making inroads against the All Black defensive line - which led to two trys, both scored by Drew Mitchell.

The only thing keeping the All Blacks in the game was the Wallabies poor discipline, which gave Dan Carter three penalty's to bring the score to 14-9 at half time.

However, the first half only got worse for the All Blacks as Andrew Hore went off injured with an ankle injury, forcing him out of the rest of the tour - he'll be replaced by Hika Elliot. This is a huge loss for the All Blacks, as Hore has started in every Test this year, and was putting a big gap between himself and the other hookers.

It's just fortunate that we have a handy backup in Kevin Mealamu - although his lineout throwing can be suspect at times.

The All Blacks got down to business in the second half, and started to play some enterprising rugby, which led to their first try scored by Sivivatu. Their passes started to stick, and they soon began to find holes in the Wallaby line.

Sivivatu had a hand in the second try, too, setting up Richie McCaw to give the All Blacks a 19-14 lead, which they would hold onto for the rest of the game.

The combination of Stephen Donald and Dan Carter did not work as well as it did in Brisbane, and for the first half it basically kept Carter out of the action. Donald was replaced by Ma'a Nonu in the second half, and Carter was back in the number 10 jersey (where he belongs). If they are to try this combination again, they have to put Donald at second five, leaving Carter to weave his magic at number 10.

Isaia Toeava had one of his best games for the All Blacks, and is starting to look more settled at Test level. He made some fantastic runs, including one where he broke through about five or six tackles. It's finally starting to look like Henry's persistence with Toeava is paying off.

The Wallabies will be disappointed that they couldn't push on in the second half, but they have nothing to blame but their own poor discipline. They were very lucky no one was sin binned, because there were times that someone should have been.

The All Blacks now head to Scotland, where they should have no trouble in maintaining their unbeaten run against the Scots. They have four Tests in four weeks, plus the midweek game against Munster - but for this squad that workload should be no issue.

As for the Test in Hong Kong, we think it was a complete success. They basically filled the stadium (there were only 300 seats left), and the players all seemed to enjoy mixing with the locals and helping to spread the game to Asia. Based on this game, there should be no reason why more Tests can't be played in Hong Kong.