Super 14

The Crusaders have been the benchmark for Super Rugby, setting the standard which most of their rivals have struggled to emulate. Winning seven Super championships puts them well ahead of three-time winning Blues, and two-time champions Brumbies and Bulls.

But the Crusaders were beaten semi-finalists last season after getting their campaign off to a disappointing start and then winning seven of their last eight games to squeeze into the play-offs.

They remain the team to beat - now perhaps along the Bulls after the Pretoria team's spectacular 2009 campaign.

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Last year, of course, the Crusaders were without their talisman Dan Carter, in France playing for Perpignan, a sojourn which came to a premature, painful end when he injured his Achilles tendon. Carter is back, which makes a world of difference. 

Skipper Richie McCaw will not exercise the sabbatical clause in his NZRFU contract, which would allow him to miss the entire Super 14, but he will take extended leave and will not play his first game until week four.

Coach Todd Blackadder had the unenviable task last year of succeeding Robbie Deans - no sinecure considering Deans' record with the Crusaders of five championships and two losses in finals. He will have learned valuable lessons in his first year in charge and be more confident of success this year.

Strengths: The team structures and consummate game plan set up over the years by Deans, which Blackadder is endeavouring to enhance, ensures that the Crusaders are potent on attack and difficult to breach on defence. They have over the years been particularly adept at making opponents pay dearly for errors. Dan Carter is a rugby magician and Richie McCaw is the only player to win the IRB Player of the Year Award twice; any team based around these two players is fortunate indeed.

Weakness: There are no substantial weaknesses in the Crusaders team, but McCaw's captaincy and his impact as a flank on every game he plays, will be sorely missed in the first three weeks.

Noteworthy signings: The big one: Carter. In addition, the Crusaders have secured Aucklander Daniel Bowden (their only draft player) as back-up to Carter; he has attacking skills and is an accurate goal-kicker. Acquisitions from the Hurricanes, wing Zac Guildford and centre Robert Fruean, add potential excitement to the attacking flair. Former All Black lock Chris Jack returns after two years at London club Saracens and then a brief Currie Cup campaign with Western Province, though wrist surgery will delay his start, probably until week four. Hooker Ti'i Paulo, prop Peter Borlase, and 21-year old lock Sam Whitelock boost the pack. Paulo is a former New Zealand U21 skipper, featuring in world title winning age-group teams at both U19 and U21 level, but has struggled with injury.

Noteworthy losses: Leon MacDonald to Kintetsu Liners in Japan; fly half Stephen Brett to the Blues; lock Ross Filipo to Bayonne (France); centre Casey Laulala to Cardiff Blues (Wales). Hooker Jason Macdonald has moved back to the Highlanders after his 2009 draft to the Crusaders.

Coach: Former All Black skipper Todd Blackadder won the Super 12 three times as Crusaders captain. He now has a year of Super 14 coaching experience behind him after serving as Tasman Director of Rugby and then their coach, coaching Edinburgh, and gaining international exposure as Scotland assistant coach. His assistant coaches are Mark Hammett and Daryl Gibson.

Captain: IRB Player of the Year in 2006 and 2009, Richie McCaw is a serious contender for this award every year. He is recognised as one of the great players of the modern era, a skilful and relentless fetcher and an inspirational leader. He leads cerebrally as well as by example. There are few players in the world who match him for impact on every game he plays. No official announcement has been made on who will stand in as captain while McCaw is on sabbatical, but since Kieran Read has taken over the captaincy previously when McCaw has been unavailable, it's likely that this will happen again.

Potential bolters: Robbie Fruean was IRB U19 Player of the Year in 2007 before undergoing open-heart surgery to repair potentially life-threatening inflammation of the heart. At home at centre or wing, he is regarded as a player of real potential. Zac Guildford enjoyed a dream 2009. He was one of the stars at the 2009 Junior World Cup in Japan, was then the leading try-scorer in the Air New Zealand Cup, scoring 13 tries for Hawke's Bay, and in November made his Test debut for the All Blacks against Wales in Cardiff.

2009 Position: Fourth
Best finish: Winners - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008
Worst finish: 12th in Super 12 in 1996
Home Venue: Jade Stadium, Christchurch (capacity 36,500)

2010 Prospects: It would come as a major surprise were the Crusaders not to make the semi-finals, and few would wage a confident bet against their playing in the final.

Crusaders squad: Wyatt Crockett, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Peter Borlase, Corey Flynn, Ti'i Paulo, Brad Thorn, Isaac Ross, Chris Jack, Sam Whitelock, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, George Whitelock, Jonathan Poff, Thomas Waldrom, Andy Ellis, Kahn Fotuali'i, Daniel Carter, Daniel Bowden, Ryan Crotty, Tim Bateman, Robert Fruean, Adam Whitelock, Sean Maitland, Kade Poki, Zac Guildford, Colin Slade, Jared Payne.

Schedule:
Saturday, February 13: v Highlanders, home
Friday, February 19: v Reds, away
Friday, February 26: v Sharks, home
Saturday, March 6: v Blues, away
Friday, March 12: v Chiefs, away
Saturday, March 20: v Lions, home
Friday, April 2: v Hurricanes, away
Saturday, April 10: v Waratahs, home
Saturday, April 17: v Cheetahs, home
Friday, April 23: v Western Force, away
Friday, April 30: v Stormers, away
Friday, May 7: v Bulls, away
Friday, May 14: v Brumbies, home

By Len Kaplan