WELLINGTON - An All Blacks-heavy Canterbury Crusaders kick off their Super Rugby title defence against the Otago Highlanders on Friday as the southern hemisphere competition trials a raft of rule changes designed to speed up the game.
Rob Penney's Crusaders were back to their brutal best last season after an injury-blighted 2024, with their no-frills rugby carrying them to a record 15th title.
They get their campaign under way at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin with David Havili captaining a squad that boasts 11 All Blacks.
New Zealand skipper Scott Barrett is not among them because he is on a sabbatical.
"There's always a bit of excitement going around in week one," said Penney, who named a powerful bench that includes five All Blacks in Will Jordan, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, George Bower and Kyle Preston.
"We've got a bit of a bomb squad off the bench, which is exciting," Penney added. "This is a good South Island derby, it'll be ultra-competitive."
The Crusaders lifted the trophy last season by beating the Chiefs 16-12, consigning the Waikato side to runners-up for a third successive season.
The Chiefs have a new coach this year in Jono Gibbes after Clayton McMillan left for Irish club Munster.
His first match shapes as a baptism of fire, against the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Saturday without star fullback Damian McKenzie, who is on paternity leave.
"You always know that you haven't had enough time to focus on every single thing (in the pre-season)," said Gibbes.
"There will be some stuff that is highlighted by a very good Blues team -– that's the size of the challenge."
The Blues, the 2024 champions who only just scraped into the playoffs last season, are also depleted.
They are missing playmaker Beauden Barrett, who is on extended leave, and injured skipper Patrick Tuipulotu.
Once again Australia's title charge is set to be led by Stephen Larkham's ACT Brumbies, who travel to Perth to play Western Force with Australia's most-capped player James Slipper embarking on his 16th Super Rugby season.
"We have confidence in our squad to deliver across a long season of Super Rugby," said Larkham, who has handed a run-on debut to young centre Kadin Pritchard.
He gets his chance after Wallabies star Len Ikitau departed for Exeter.