There is much written in sport about things which are said to affect numerous results.
Things such as attitude, desire, commitment, temperament, tenacity, drive and, let's not forget the all-important one, culture.
But there is one ingredient which often gets overlooked.
It is perhaps the most important of gifts a team can have.
Playing ability. The talent to do things well enough on the paddock to win the game.
The ability to pass, kick, tackle, run and all those other things which makes a team perform.
The team with the most talent, on the whole, wins games and competitions.
A side could try hard all day and well into the night but if it does not have the playing ability, chances are it is going to finish second.
This is where the Highlanders have the advantage.
Much is made of the culture down here and the closeness of the team.
That helps - to a degree.
But skills, gifts and playing ability count more. A lot more.
The Highlanders have the advantage of possessing some of the best players in terms of ability in the entire competition.
In the likes of Ben Smith, Aaron Smith and Malakai Fekitoa, the Highlanders have players who can dominate and turn any game.
Remember last year when the Highlanders were playing the Waratahs under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Fekitoa put a huge hit on a threatening Waratahs fullback, Israel Folau, and promptly grabbed the ball off him.
He passed the ball to winger Waisake Naholo who burned off all the covering defenders to score a try, which was a huge momentum shifter.
That is what is the Highlanders are lucky enough to have - game changers.
In this competition, where the players train the same and are all big, tough athletes, it is the top, as in the very top players, who make the difference.
In the Smiths, the Highlanders have two of the five best players in the competition.
But in saying that the Smiths and those around them can only do the business if they have a reasonable amount of ball.
That is up to the men up front.
Many of them had standout years in 2015.
The key now is to keep that up. The basics were done very well last year - lineouts won, scrum solid, breakdown work clean and tidy.
These are not the flashest of things but a solid set piece gives a side a huge advantage.
The loose forwards are a competent and competitive lot and there appears to be no weakness there.
No 8 Nasi Manu is a loss but Liam Squire had showed some rugged skills.
Of course, the Highlanders are like any other team.
They need their share of lady luck. Luck with injuries. Luck when and what sort of teams turn up and play. Luck with calls from the men in the middle.
Drill down deeper and it is not really luck but good or poor play from someone on the field. But whatever it is, every team needs good fortune.
Fortune favours the brave. The Highlanders were brave last year.
One hopes they repeat that this year.
Genuine chance: Highlanders.
