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Not so Super RugbyDan Nicholl cant help but feel that the Super 15 is designed to favour the Australian sides.

And Mitchell’s response to defeat was the most telling enforcement of the new Lions: refusing to indulge the plaudits for running the champions so close， the Kiwi coach instead rebuked his team for losing focus， and laid down a marker for his expectations. Four point defeat to the most dominant side in the competition in recent years? Still a home defeat， in Mitchell’s eyes， and that’s unacceptable.

And New Zealand? It’s a fascinating year for Super Rugby here， as players vie for a World Cup berth， teams look to spur on the country ahead of the tournament， and selectors hope that the intensity of derbies doesn’t lose them key All Blacks later in the year — a situation South Africans are all too familiar with. The return of Tana Umaga， hoping for a late Skinstad-like return to World Cup contention， and the suspension of Ma’a Nonu (one game; Bakkies Botha or Schalk Burger would have six months in solitary confinement) headlined the individual stories from the weekend， but it was the breathtaking Blues-Crusaders game that defined the opening weekend， and reminded the world of just how electric rugby in New Zealand can be.

iafrica.comtoyota austr，Tank Lanning， iPad in one hand and Black label in the other， summed up the thoughts of the local rugby community perfectly on Twitter on Saturday as the Crusaders and Blues gave a thunderous welcome to Super Rugby after a muted start on Friday. Watching two sides brimming with talent and intent collide majestically， Tank pointed out the key failing of the new format: that the conference system means South African teams could well miss out on playing the Blues or Crusaders in the regular season. And while avoiding a trip to Auckland or Christchurch might have some appeal， given the form of both sides on Saturday， what true rugby fan doesn’t want to see his or her side line up against the competition’s best?

John Mitchell was at my table at the Sports Industry Awards dinner last week， and he made it clear that he believed the Lions would win Saturday’s game against the Bulls; not a belief borne of arrogance， but rather the conviction of a man who feels he has a squad that can genuinely win big matches. A stroke of fortune and a more assured boot from Elton Jantjies， and there could very well have been an unexpected result at Coca Cola Park; the Bulls scraped home， but the Lions have made it clear that they’re a team reborn this year.

Birth certificates no barSeveral players have chosen not to represent the country of their birth at the Cricket World Cup.

Elsewhere? The Waratahs looked as good as the Rebels looked out of their depth; but as Melbourne’s side must surely improve (Danny Cipriani’s season could be crucial for the Rebels， particularly with Stirling Mortlock in support)， so the Waratahs need to avoid their penchant for burning out after a bright start. None of the other three Australian sides made grand statements of intent either way in week one; overall， 2011 is about Australia convincing us that they can support five Super Rugby teams.

It’s only a week， though， and given the sheer length of the tournament in its new guise， there’s an awful lot still to happen; retaining our interest is probably the competition’s central challenge. Regular international clashes instead of amped-up Currie Cup matches would certainly help to keep Super Rugby exciting; with the Australians having successfully reinvented the competition to their own advantage， we’ll have to make the best of what will hopefully be a short-lived version of the tournament.

Past champs dominate teamPast champs the Bulls， Crusaders and Blues dominate the first instalment of our Team of the Week.

Four points for a bye， a Lions team that’s decidedly dangerous， the usual rules for Kiwis when it comes to suspensions， and a New Zealand derby that lit up week one: much to discuss after Super Rugby’s opening salvo for 2011. But for all the up and downs of the first seven games， one overriding point was made during the first weekend of the new competition: South African rugby’s been short-changed by the new Australia-friendly format.

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It’s the most disappointing aspect of a drawn out reinterpretation of the competition singularly designed to help Australian rugby; you can’t fault John O’Neill for successfully mugging our rugby executive， but you can bemoan the failure of rugby’s local guardians for not making a stand iafrica.comtoyota austragainst Super Rugby’s pro-Wallaby toyota australiabias， particularly when South Africa contributes most to the television deal and the viewing numbers. Not much to be done in 2011， alas， other than watch the tournament unfold — and there， at least， is cause for greater cheer.

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Still an away victory， too， seeing the Bulls off to a winning start， and while it might have been close， the Lions’ results later this year will demonstrate the value of that first win for a team that will again carry South African hopes. The Sharks look promising， but a little light in the backs， and the Cheetahs， backed at the last minute by Toyota， look set for their perennial struggle with depth. The Stormers? Four points in the bag without having played a game， thanks to a system that gets you on the board every time you have a bye; the opener against the Lions will be revealing， as the highs of last year’s final are replaced by the realities of a long competition ahead. Peter Grant’s return from Japan is key， and if the front row gels， it could be another good year in the Cape.