Waratahs (Lacking BMT)
The Waratahs need to perform well this season after being knocked out in the semi's in 2010. They have depth and possess game breakers in Kurtly Beale, Berrick Barnes, and David Pocock. Now they need to overcome their own psychological hurdle if they hope to win the inaugural expanded Super Rugby tournament. With World Cup places on the line this year expect Beale to take the step up and become a rugby super star. How he performs is going to to be crucial to their campaign in 2011. They will deem their campaign a failure if they do not reach the play-offs.
Reds (The Quade Cooper Show)
Since 2004 the Reds have not finished higher than 10th position on the log. Enter Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Digby Ione, and a few others and suddenly they finish 5th on the log in 2010. Their expansive attacking play was a pleasure to watch all season and there is no denying the attacking potency of Cooper. His defensive frailties are well known, but after few sterns words from Robbie Deans seems to have motivated him to tackle more. The Reds will be hoping for a stronger finish in 2011. The Reds first choice team can beat any team on their day but their depth will be tested in this years tournament.
Rebels (New team on the block)
Take the most successful Australian coach ever and let him select a team of discards, young faces,old faces, familiar faces and see what you get is the Rebels. The team boasts some older legends of the game such as Sterling Mortlock and Greg Somerville. Much of the attention will be cast on their English flyhalf, Danny Cipriani. After being hailed by the English media as the best thing since sliced bread and Johnny Wilkinson, he was dropped from the English team and dissapeared for a while before resurfacing in Melbourne. It is hard to predict how the Rebels will fair as their warm up games were against understrength teams such as Fiji and Tonga who they beat comfortably.
Western Force ( New coach, New Season)
Despite having a relatively strong squad for the past few seasons the Force have never been able to make their mark in the competition. Matt Giteau never really got going for the Force and has since left for greener pastures. John Mitchell has left for the South African based Lions, and has been replaced by Richard Graham. He was head coach of Saracens and assistant coach for the Wallabies. His new squad lacks depth this season but he still has James O'Connor and strong loose trio. Whether that will be enough only time will tell. Things are not looking good for the Force this season.
Brumbies (Not Milk men)
Stephen Larkham joins the Brumbies this season as backline coach. It will be up to the former Wallabies legend to get the best of out of a backline containing Matt Giteau, Adam Ashley-Cooper. Captain Rocky Elsom will be in good company in the forwards that include, Stephen Moore and Ben Alexander. The Brumbies have lost some big names coming in to this season and their younger players will have much to prove. They seem to be a certainty for the middle of the table.
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