Super Rugbny 2023: Full guide to squads, strengths, weaknesses, for all 12 teams including Waratahs, Rebels, Force, Brumbies and Queensland Reds
The future of Super Rugby will be announced on Friday. The competition will move to a full-fledged Pacific competition. Rugby Australia will benefit from their hard-line stance. The organisation continues to get up off its knees following the clearing of the decks and change in administration following COVID-19.
The Australian Super Rugby franchises have lost some of their best players. The injury crisis has affected the local coaches. There are questions about the quality of the Australian-based coaches and the strength of Australian rugby. Crusaders and Blues are the favourites. Moana Pasifika and Fiji Drua should be stronger after another year to build on their lists. The official squads for all 12 teams are now official. Here we breakdown them and predict where they will finish in 2023. They include Waratahs, Rebels, Force, Brumbies and Queensland Reds.
The Brumbies lost in the semi-final of Super Rugby last year. They have a new coach in Larkham and a general manager in Chris Thompson.
Brumbies have a rock star forward pack with class littered throughout it. Nic White and Noah Lolesio are the Wallabies halves pairing. Tom Wright will likely spend more time at fullback.
Irae Simone's departure means the Brumbies don't have the strength and the foil in the midfield they were previously used to.
Larkham returns for the first time since 2017. Rumours out of Ireland were that Munster's attack resembled Jake White's South African style. Brumbies never missed the finals under Larkhama V1.
Billy Pollard is a young hooker who turns 21 on December 9. Brumbies were prepared to let Fainga’a leave to invest in the youth of Lachie Lonergan and Pollards.
Brumbies are expected to finish 6th in Super Rugby 2023. Tom Banks, Irae Simone and Scott Sio are leaving the team.
Simon Cron is the new coach of Western Force. Western force is second Australian Super Rugby franchise with a new head coach. Force lack some big names in the halves and inside backs. Cron will look for big fish in 2024.
Super Rugbny 2023 is a guide to squads, strengths and weaknesses for all 12 teams.
The Force have a talented outside back line, but can they get the ball there? Chase Tiatia, Toni Pulu and Manasa Mataele are speed demons. Jake Strachan is a fullback.
Cron's team is stacked with youth, but it could be problematic in the short-term. The Force are going to lack creativity in their inside backs, so they need to dominate up front.
Cron helped the Waratahs reach the semi-finals in 2018. He spent three seasons working in Japan with Steve Hansen. Cron talks a good game but the proof will be in the pudding.
The Force have a few academy players coming through, but more likely they'll see them from 2024. Back-rower Tim Anstee is someone with speed, power and athletic ability.
The Force are short of star power and will struggle to challenge the big teams like the Blues, Crusaders, Chiefs and Waratahs. They will snag wins along the way but it looms as a difficult year.
The Melbourne Rebels have been hit hard by injuries in the forward pack. Monty Ioane has arrived.
The Rebels have an all-international back three and a scrum which should be strong. The scrums are also strong with props Sam Talakai, Matt Gibbon and Pone Fa’amausili.
Philip and Leota are gone. Carter Gordon could change the perception of the halves.
Kevin Foote's game-plan and selection was confusing in 2022. Kevin Footer wanted to inspire and get Super Rugby back to its former heights.
Carter Gordon is a young talent who needs to be backed for the entire year.
Gordon's team will finish 10th in Super Rugby 2023. The team without notable forwards and inside backs lacks proven quality.
Queensland Reds are struggling without the injured Tupou. They have a number of Test players in the backline but it's up front where they will be tested.
There are a number of players who are playing for their World Cup dreams. Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight are two of them. The James O'Connor-Tate McDermott partnership is crucial.
Tupou's absence is a weakness for Queensland Reds.
Brad Thorn needs to lead Queensland Reds to the semi finals to have a chance of a contract extension.
Josh Flook, Tom Lynagh and Zane Nonggorr are young players who need to be given more game time.
Tupou's absence sees Queensland Reds go from a top four outside chance to battling to make finals.
NSW Waratahs won crucial games against the Crusaders and Highlanders to seal a quarter-final in 2022. Now the expectation is they will push on and so they should.
The Waratahs have a lot of star power, especially Kurtley Beale and Nemani Nadolo. Will Harrison is a promising young playmaker.
The Waratahs have quality in the tight-five, but not enough depth in second row.
Coleman was Australian rugby’s coach of the year in 2022.
Max Jorgensen and Jack Bowen are young players for the future. Joey Walton is back after a number of injuries. Super Rugby 2023 guide includes squads for Waratahs, Rebels, Force, Brumbies and Queensland Reds.
The Blues were last year's runners up. Beauden Barrett and Stephen Perofeta are the team's main forwards. Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke are also important.
Super Rugby 2023 guide includes squads for Waratahs, Rebels, Force, Brumbies and Queensland Reds.
The Super Rugby 2023 squad is made up of Waratahs, Rebels, Force, Brumbies and Queensland Reds.
Leon MacDonald is smart and savvy. He plans to outsmart his former teammate Scott Robertson next year.
The team is in its prime and there will be few new faces. Rob Rush, son of former New Zealand great Eric, joins the squad.
2023 will be the year of the Blues.
Scott Robertson has been busy recently. The Crusaders will continue to roll on 2023. They will push most sides most of the time.
Richie Mo’unga remains in the top five playmakers in rugby. Sam Whitelock is one of the best leaders and most consistent players in world rugby and the Crusaders have been successful around him for years.
There are no weaknesses to the Super Rugby squads.
Taha Kemara turned down the chance to sign with the Chiefs.
The Hurricanes will be more consistent in 2023. Dane Coles, Savea and Barrett are going to be a formidable team.
Super Rugbny 2023 guide has squads for all 12 teams. Strengths include Julian Savea and Salesi Rayasi. Weaknesses include Ardie Save a, who has been dominant forward since 2019.
The Hurricanes don't have the same threat in the halves with TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett out injured.
Jason Holland will be the new boss of Super Rugby in 2023.
Riley Higgins came through the pathways and is a centre who could be a well-known quantity by year's end.
Super Rugby 2023 guide includes squads, strengths and weaknesses for all 12 teams. Long range prediction: 5th.
Damian McKenzie's return makes Chiefs a classier team than the other sides.
The Chiefs have a world class back-five in the forward pack. Samisoni Taukei’aho was one of the world's best hookers in 2022. The Chiefs will grow a leg with McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown.
The Super Rugby 2023 guide includes a guide to squads, strengths and weaknesses for all 12 teams.
Clayton McMillan has been operating in Warren Gatland's shadow as Chiefs coach.
Tupou Vaa’i is an All Black. This will be the year he turns from a fringe player to one who demands a spot. Super Rugby 2023 is a guide to squads, strengths and weaknesses for all 12 teams.
The Chiefs are the most likely to upset one of the big two teams. They will drop to fourth in the overall standings.
The Highlanders don't have the same star power as the Blues, Crusaders and Chiefs. They also have a new captain, Billy Harmon, and a coach, Clarke Dermody.
The Highlanders have the best 1-2 halfback pairing in the competition. They also have a couple of All Blacks up front.
The Highlanders are a mobile pack but lack some size. Waratahs, Rebels, Force, Brumbies and Queensland Reds have light back-five forward pack.
Clarke Dermody has Chris Boyd as his right-hand man.
Folau Fakatava is a promising rugby player.
Super Rugby 2023 is a guide to squads, strengths and weaknesses for all 12 teams.
Moana Pasifika is one year old and they are better placed than last year.
Aaron Mauger knows a thing or two about Super Rugby.
Miracle Fai’ilagi is the only uncapped player in the squad.
Moana Pasifika were thrown together at the last moment. They will stay in the fight of a lot of games, but can they come out on top?
Dra will play more games in Fiji. Fiji is a Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Fiji's strengths are throwing it around and causing problems for opponents. Fiji's weaknesses are at the set-piece and travel.
Mick Byrne is the boss of the Drua. Byrne's team won a couple of games and pushed the Highlanders at home at the end of their season. Super Rugby 2023 is a competition between 12 teams.
The Drua will challenge a number of sides, but the final 20 minutes will be an issue. Australia's sides don't have the skill to keep up with the razzle dazzle nature of the Fijians.
