Rugby Union Super 14's Teams for 2007

[Beejayville]

Many of you out there may be able to give your thoughts on the Super 14 teams before the season commences. AUSTRALIA

BRUMBIES 2006 position: 6th Highest finish: Champions (2001, 2004) Country: Australia Coach: Laurie Fisher Home ground: Canberra Stadium (capacity: 27,000) Team colours: White jersey with dark saddle and three gold stripes across the chest. Dark blue shorts and socks. Alternate strip - Navy jersey with thick gold and white stripes across the chest and a gold saddle. White shorts and navy socks with a gold fold. Website: http://www.brumbies.com.au

FORCE 2006 position: 14th Best finish: 14th Country: Australia Coach: John Mitchell Home ground: Subiaco Oval, Perth (capacity 43,000) Team colours: Blue shirt with black detailing, black shorts with blue stripe and black socks with blue hoop. Alternate strip - yellow jersey with black detailing, black shorts and black socks with yellow hoop. Website: http://www.rugbywa.com.au/

REDS 2006 position: 12th Highest finish: Semi-finalists (1996, 1999, 2001) Country: Australia Coach: Eddie Jones Home ground: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Team colours: Maroon shirt with gold collar, maroon shorts and socks with gold & white trim. Website: http://www.qru.com.au

WARATAHS 2006 position: Semi-finalists Highest finish: Runners-up (2005) Country: Australia Coach: Ewen McKenzie Home ground: Aussie Stadium, Sydney (capacity: 42,500) Team colours: Sky blue jersey with navy bands on sleeves and navy collar, navy shorts and sky blue socks with navy hoop. Alternate strip - White jesery with sky blue bands on sleeves, navy collar, navy shorts and sky blue socks with navy hoop. Website: http://www.nswrugby.com.au

NEW ZEALAND

BLUES 2006 position: 8th Highest finish: Champions (1996, 1997, 2003) Country: New Zealand Coach: David Nucifora Home ground: 1. Eden Park, Auckland (capacity: 50,000). 2. North Harbour Stadium (capacity: 25,000). 3. Northland Rugby Stadium (capacity: 38,000) Team colours: Royal blue with navy sleeves and white piping, blue shorts and socks. Alternate strip - White jersey with navy panels, white shorts and blue socks. Website: http://www.theblues.co.nz

CHIEFS 2006 position: 7th Highest finish: Semi-finalists (2004) Country: New Zealand Coach: Ian Foster Home ground: 1. Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (capacity: 27,000). 2. Rotorua International Stadium (capacity: 30,000) Team colours: Black base with yellow and red panel down the sides. Three strips of yellow on the shoulder through to the sleeve. Alternate strip - White body with yellow sleeves, black side panels and red strips over shoulders and sleeves. Website: http://www.chiefs.co.nz

CRUSADERS 2006 position: Champions Highest finish: Champions (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006) Country: New Zealand Coach: Robbie Deans Home ground: Jade Stadium, Christchurch (capacity: 35,000) Team colours: Red base with black panel down the sides. Three strips of red on the shoulder through to the sleeve. Black shorts bisected by three thin red strips. Alternate strip - White base with black panel down the sides. Three strips of red on the shoulder through to the sleeve. White shorts with three red strips and trim. Red socks with three thin black strips. Website: http://www.crfu.co.nz

HIGHLANDERS 2006 position: 9th Highest finish: Runners-up (1999) Country: New Zealand Coach: Greg Cooper Home ground: Carisbrook Stadium, Dunedin (capacity: 40,000) Team colours: Blue with gold and maroon collar and stripes, blue shorts with broad maroon stripe. Blue and gold socks. Alternate strip - White with blue, gold and maroon trimmings, white shorts with blue stripe. Blue and gold socks. Website: http://www.highlandersrugby.com

HURRICANES 2006 position: Runners-up Highest finish: Runners-up (2006) Country: New Zealand Coach: Colin Cooper Home ground: Westpac Stadium, Wellington (capacity: 34,500) Team colours: Yellow with black piping, black shorts and socks. Alternate strip - White with yellow and black panels, white shorts and yellow socks. Website: http://www.hurricanes.co.nz

SOUTH AFRICA

BULLS 2006 position: Semi-finalists Highest finish: Semi-finalists (1996, 2005, 2006) Country: South Africa Coach: Heyneke Meyer Home ground: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (capacity: 50,000) Team colours: Sky blue jersey with navy trim, navy shorts, sky blue with navy trim socks. Alternate strip - White jersey with navy trim. Website: http://www.thebulls.co.za

CHEETAHS 2006 position: 10th Highest finish: 10th Country: South Africa Coach: Rassie Erasmus Home ground: Vodacom Park Stadium, Bloemfontein Team colours: White jersey with orange trim. Alternative strip: orange jersey with white trim. Website: http://www.vodacomcheetahs.co.za

LIONS 2006 position: (as Cats) 13th Highest finish: (as Cats) Semi-finalists (2000, 2001) Country: South Africa Coach: Eugene Eloff Home ground: Ellis Park, Johannesburg (capacity: 60,000). Team colours: Red and white Website: http://www.lionsrugby.co.za

SHARKS 2006 position: 5th Highest finish: Runners-up (2001) Country: South Africa Coach: Dick Muir Home ground: ABSA Stadium, Durban (capacity: 52,000) Team colours: Black with white and grey trim jersey, black shorts and black with white trim socks. Alternate strip - White jersey with grey and black trim. Website: http://www.sharksrugby.co.za

STORMERS 2006 position: 11th Highest finish: Semi-finalists (1999, 2004) Country: South Africa Coach: Kobus van der Merwe Home ground: Newlands, Cape Town (capacity: 50,000) Team colours: Navy blue jersey, shorts and socks. Website: http://www.thestormers.com

[AJ]

Re: Rugby Union Super 14's Teams for 2007 Here's some info on the NZ Team, with current prices for the out right title. Worth bearing in mind, that 22 first choice all blacks have been removed from the first 7 rounds. This is part of the world cup prep. Kiwi teams have won 9 out 11 Super Rugby Titles. Neither the Aussies or the Yarpies are leaving players out, so this may be the season that Kiwi dominace fades. Blues 6.0 My home town team, seems to underachive a lot in recent years when it counts. On Paper a great team. Weak away form lets them down. but could this be the year they get it right ?? Even without Mealamu, Woodcock, Williams and Rokocoko missing with the national team, the blues have more present or past all blacks than any other NZ team. This will give chances to players like Nacwa a chance to star. Luke MacDonald will goal kick improving what was a weak area. I fancy their chances, but will wait before their opening match of the season against the Crusaders before placing any money on them. If they lose this one, the season will run away from them. The Liverpool Fc of super rugby, Cheifs 9.0 Have lost Muliania and Sivivatu for 7 weeks, this is like taking Ronaldo and Giggs out of the Manchester Unites team, they are still good, solid and hard to beat, but are missing flair on both wings, and will struggle for points. But, this team is basicaly the same as the Wiakato team that won the Air NZ cup this season. I think the price is a bit long, they could easily make the semis, from then, who knows ?? An improving young team, the Arsenal of Super 14 rugby. Crusaders 3.50 Six times champs, red hot favs, a relentless machine that would on it's day thrash any test team in the world, ABs excepted. But they are too short priced, the AB's have taken Dan Carter (clearly the best player in the world) and AB's Capt, Richie McCaw out for 7 weeks. The draw hasn't ben kind to them, they have a hard trip to Auckland first week, easy enough home match against Queensland 2nd week, but then it's a 3 week tour of south africa including games at altitude. Very real danger this will be a graveyard for their season. Leave them alone early season is my advice, if they come through their trip to the republic, they'll be serious contenders, late season, with their AB's back they'll be a real force. The Chelsea of Super 14 Rugby Highlander 30.0 Far and away the weakest of the NZ teams, but this could work in their favour, they have a settled squad, with only Oliver and Hayman away with the AB's. Good home team, esp late season when it's cold. But very poor on the road. Failrly, no real flair or match winning players. The Everton of Super 14 Rugby. Hurricanes 5.0 Second favs for the title, very good backline, but perhaps a little light up front, Jerry Colins excepted.. Tana Umaga, Weepu and So'oialo can destroy any team on their day. Beaten finalists last season in a farce of a game destroyed by fog, I think they should ahve won last year, and could very well go one better this year. The Manchester United of Super 14 Rugby