Welcome to a new season of Super rugby, a much-changed competition which is now entering its 16th season.
In come the Melbourne Rebels to spread 15 teams across the three Sanzar partners. In comes a new format to spice things up. In comes new players aiming to feature in World Cup equations. In come new coaches and in comes the paracetamol for the international coach
In any other year, the remodelled competition would be centre stage, but everyone entering this edition will have one eye on their opposition and one eye down the road at the World Cup.
Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen will be crossing their collective fingers and taking deep breaths in the hope that nothing serious befalls players they have earmarked for the All Blacks squad to chase the Webb Ellis Cup.
Without a ball being kicked in anger, Richie McCaw is sitting on the sidelines as a stress fracture in his foot heals, Sonny Bill Williams nurses a stress fracture in his lower left leg, fringe five-eighth Colin Slade is out with a broken jaw and All Blacks lock Tom Donnelly is on the mend after partially dislocating his shoulder.
With an expanded competition inevitably comes more wear and tear on bodies. Last season, to make the final a team needed only to play a maximum of 15 games. This year 16 games will be played before it even gets to the business-end of the season. If one of the teams outside the top two seeds make the final they would have played 19 games.
More games mean more risk for star players, but conversely, it could allow the unheralded to make the most of opportunities that are bound to come their way.
While the format may have changed, some things never change -- the Crusaders, so long the masters of Super Rugby, are once again the local bookies' favourites to claim the inaugural Super 15 title.
With McCaw absent for the first six weeks, Kieran Read, the most improved All Black last season, will step into his shoes to lead their quest for an eighth crown. They will feel the loss of McCaw, but George Whitelock or the impressive Matt Todd will get a chance to enhance their reputations.
If it is almost impossible to replace McCaw then Dan Carter must be considered in the same vein. His Super 14 campaign last season was scratchy, coming off the back of a long injury lay-off, but his partnership with Williams and Robbie Fruean, another who could push his claims for higher honours, will help determine how deep in the competition they go.
The big midfield pairing should provide a platform for exciting fullback Israel Dagg to show his wares while the forward pack has a settled, solid look.
As a player Mark Hammett experienced the joy of four super championships with the Crusaders and as the new coach of the Hurricanes he will be attempting to lift the attack-minded franchise into title contenders. They have lacked consistency in the past, with their tight forwards often the weak point, but Hammett, a former hard-nosed hooker, could bring out the best in them.
With Willie Ripia now at the Western Force and halfback-cum-five-eighth Piri Weepu recovering from a broken leg, Aaron Cruden, used sparingly last season, has the chance to show he has the goods to be Carter's international understudy.
Blues coach Pat Lam enters his third season at the helm with lock Ali Williams back in the fold after missing all of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Who fills the No.10 jersey could determine their season with Luke McAlister, Stephen Brett and Lachie Munro all vying to start as pivot.
One player eager for redemption will be Stephen Donald whose Hong Kong horror show last year for the All Blacks might have scuppered his World Cup chances. His Chiefs coach Ian Foster will step aside at the end of the season and will be seeking an improvement after their run to the final in 2009 was followed with a mediocre 2010 outing.
New Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has been dealt no favours as he seeks to revive their fortunes. He has been blighted by injuries to new signing Slade and the industrious Donnelly and will again lean heavily on captain Jamie Mackintosh, Jimmy Cowan and Adam Thomson.
Defending champions the Bulls will once more head the challenge from South Africa but questions have been raised over whether their ageing side have the legs to manage a three-peat.
New Zealand rugby followers will be interested to see how former All Blacks and Western Force coach John Mitchell fares in charge of the woeful Lions. They went winless throughout 2010 and look destined to struggle again, despite the an improved showing in the Currie Cup.
Last year's finalists the Stormers have been hit with a few pre-season injuries and pivot Peter Grant may miss the early matches due to commitments in Japan. The Sharks, coached by New Zealand John Plumtree, are a settled outfit while the Cheetahs are destined to struggle again.
Across the Tasman, the resurgent Reds, who went within a whisker of making the playoffs last season, are expected to shine with the pairing of halfback Will Genia and first five-eighth Quade Cooper central to their hopes.
The Waratahs, quarter-finalists last time out, look solid, while better things are hoped for the Force, under new coach Richard Graham.
The Brumbies have lost the wily George Smith to France while stalwart Stirling Mortlock will take charge of the new kids on the block the Melbourne Rebels.
The Rebels have ex-All Blacks Greg Somerville and Kevin O'Neill heading a number of New Zealanders in their ranks, but doubt remains about their depth.
With local derbies a feature of the new format it is not surprising New Zealand sides feature in the opening match of the first round with the Hurricanes hosting the Highlanders in Wellington on Friday night.
The Chiefs, who began last season strongly before dropping away alarmingly, travel to Canberra to face the Brumbies later that night.
The Blues get first dibs at nicking some points off the Crusaders at the newly refurbished Eden Park on Saturday night.
By the time the final comes around on July 9 organisers will know if their tinkering has breathed new life into the competition.
By then one hopes those national coaches will be breathing a little easier.
A guide to the new format.-
* 15 teams split into 3 conferences - New Zealand, Australia and South Africa
* A team will play each of the four other teams in its conference home and away
* A team will play four of the five teams in each of the other conferences once (eight games split evenly home and away)
* Teams will play a total of 16 regular season games - eight at home and eight away
* Teams will be seeded according to their points tally
* The winners of each conference will make the six-team playoffs, followed by the next three teams with the most competition points, regardless of conference positions
* The top two seeds receive a bye in the first week of the sudden-death playoffs
* Playoffs - week one: third seed plays sixth seed; and fourth seed plays fifth seed
* Playoffs - week two: top seed plays winner for 4 v 5; second seed plays winner of 3 v 6
* Playoffs - week three: Semifinal winners meet in final
Draw.-
Draw for the 2011 Super 15 rugby championship (all NZ time, home team listed first):
WEEK 1
Feb 18: Hurricanes v Highlanders, 7.35pm; Rebels v Waratahs, 9.40pm
Feb 19: Blues v Crusaders, 7.35pm; Brumbies v Chiefs, 9.40pm
Feb 20: Sharks v Cheetahs, 4.05am; Lions v Bulls, 6.10am; Reds v Force, 7.40pm
Bye: Stormers
WEEK 2
Feb 25: Highlanders v Chiefs, 7.35pm; Rebels v Brumbies, 9.40pm
Feb 26: Cheetahs v Bulls, 6.10am; Hurricanes v Crusaders, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Reds, 9.40pm
Feb 27: Sharks v Blues, 4.05am; Stormers v Lions, 6.10am
Bye: Force
WEEK 3
March 4: Crusaders v Waratahs, 7.35pm
March 5: Lions v Blues, 6.10am; Chiefs v Rebels, 7.35pm; Brumbies v Reds, 9.40pm
March 6: Force v Sharks, 12.05am; Stormers v Cheetahs, 4.05am; Bulls v Highlanders, 6.10am
Bye: Hurricanes
WEEK 4
March 11: Crusaders v Brumbies, 7.35pm; Rebels v Sharks, 9.40pm
March 12: Stormers v Highlanders, 6.10am; Hurricanes v Chiefs, 7.35pm
March 13: Force v Blues, 12.05am; Cheetahs v Lions, 4.05am
Bye: Bulls, Reds, Waratahs
WEEK 5
March 18: Chiefs v Sharks, 7.35pm; Reds v Rebels, 10.40pm
March 19: Highlanders v Crusaders, 5.30pm; Blues v Hurricanes, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Cheetahs, 9.40pm
March 20: Lions v Force, 4.05am; Bulls v Stormers, 6.10am
Bye: Brumbies
WEEK 6
March 25: Crusaders v Sharks, 7.35pm; Rebels v Hurricanes, 9.40pm
March 26: Reds v Cheetahs, 5.40pm; Chiefs v Blues, 7.35pm; Brumbies v Waratahs, 9.40pm
March 27: Stormers v Force, 2.00am; Bulls v Lions, 4.05am
Bye: Highlanders
WEEK 7
April 1: Highlanders v Brumbies, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Chiefs, 9.40pm
April 2: Blues v Cheetahs, 5.30pm; Hurricanes v Bulls, 7.35pm
April 3: Force v Rebels, 12.05am; Lions v Reds, 1.00am; Sharks v Stormers, 3.05am
Bye: Crusaders
WEEK 8
April 8: Highlanders v Cheetahs, 7.35pm
April 9: Crusaders v Bulls, 7.35pm; Brumbies v Hurricanes, 9.40pm
April 10: Force v Waratahs, 12.05am; Stormers v Reds, 3.05am; Sharks v Lions, 5.10am
Bye: Blues, Chiefs, Rebels
WEEK 9
April 15: Chiefs v Crusaders, 7.35pm; Rebels v Highlanders, 9.40pm
April 16: Blues v Waratahs, 7.35pm; Reds v Bulls, 9.40pm
April 17: Brumbies v Force, 6.10pm
Bye: Sharks
WEEK 10
April 22: Blues v Rebels, 7.35pm
April 23: Crusaders v Highlanders, 7.35pm; Reds v Waratahs, 9.40pm
April 24: Force v Bulls, 12.05am; Sharks v Hurricanes, 3.05am; Lions v Chiefs, 5.10am
Bye: Brumbies, Cheetahs, Stormers
WEEK 11
April 29: Highlanders v Blues, 7.35pm
April 30: Hurricanes v Reds, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Rebels, 9.40pm
May 1: Force v Crusaders, 12.05am; Cheetahs v Brumbies, 1.00am; Bulls v Chiefs, 3.05am; Stormers v Sharks, 5.10am
Bye: Lions
WEEK 12
May 6: Hurricanes v Blues, 7.35pm; Rebels v Reds, 9.40pm
May 7: Lions v Cheetahs, 5.10am; Chiefs v Highlanders, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Force, 9.40pm
May 8: Stormers v Crusaders, 3.05am; Sharks v Brumbies, 5.10am
Bye: Bulls
WEEK 13
May 13: Highlanders v Hurricanes, 7.35pm; Reds v Blues, 9.40pm
May 14: Chiefs v Stormers, 7.35pm; Brumbies v Lions, 9.40pm
May 15:
Bulls v Rebels, 3.05am; Cheetahs v Crusaders, 5.10am
Bye: Force, Sharks, Waratahs
WEEK 14
May 20: Blues v Stormers, 7.35pm
May 21: Crusaders v Chiefs, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Lions, 9.40pm
May 22: Force v Brumbies, 12.05am; Cheetahs v Rebels, 3.05am; Sharks v Bulls, 5.10am
Bye: Hurricanes, Highlanders, Reds
WEEK 15
May 27: Hurricanes v Force, 7.35pm
May 28: Highlanders v Lions, 7.35pm; Brumbies v Stormers, 9.40pm
May 29: Sharks v Waratahs, 3.05am; Bulls v Cheetahs, 5.10am; Reds v Crusaders 6.10pm
Bye: Blues, Chiefs, Rebels
WEEK 16
June 3: Highlanders v Force, 7.35pm; Rebels v Stormers, 9.40pm
June 4: Bulls v Waratahs, 5.10am; Hurricanes v Lions, 5.30pm; Blues v Chiefs, 7.35pm; Reds v Brumbies, 9.40pm
June 5: Cheetahs v Sharks, 3.05am
Bye: Crusaders
WEEK 17
June 10: Chiefs v Hurricanes, 7.35pm; Brumbies v Rebels, 9.40pm
June 11: Crusaders v Blues, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Highlanders, 9.40pm
June 12: Force v Reds, 12.05am; Lions v Sharks, 2.05am; Stormers v Bulls, 4.05am
Bye: Cheetahs
WEEK 18
June 17: Blues v Highlanders, 7.35pm; Rebels v Force, 9.40pm
June 18: Chiefs v Reds, 5.30pm; Crusaders v Hurricanes, 7.35pm; Waratahs v Brumbies, 9.40pm
June 19: Bulls v Sharks, 3.05am; Cheetahs v Stormers, 5.10am
Bye: Lions
WEEK 19
June 24 and 25: Team 1 and Team 2 bye; Qualifier 1: Team 3 v Team 6; Qualifier 2: Team 4 v Team 5
WEEK 20
July 1 and 2: Semi 1: Team 1 v lowest-ranked Qualifier winner
Semi 2: Team 2 v highest-ranked Qualifier winner
WEEK 21
July 9: Final: Winner of Semi 1 v winner of Semi 2.
