It will be a great relief to many of us to be spared further unpredictability from the erratic Black Caps in favour of the solid reliability of Super 12.
But is there any real prospect of that? The Super 12 might turn out to be just as volatile, and a look at each of the five New Zealand franchises and their opposition suggests that anything could happen this year.
And why not? The competition is carefully calibrated to provide a reasonable spread of the talent in each country, and this has been its greatest strength.
Once again the Crusaders, notwithstanding their warmup wobble against the Waratahs this week, have the look of an outfit that is basically weakness-free, although there will inevitably be some questions about the defensive qualities out wide in the backline.
Only the Blues will rival the forward pack and it will be fascinating to see how the abrasive Brad Thorn, tutored in the punishing world of the ARL, shapes up against the nomadic Ron Cribb.
On paper, the Blues pack look formidable but there were real signs of disjunction in the warm-up against the Waratahs. Are these shades of last season?
The Crusaders have no more talent than any of the others. They just apply it better. Can this team pull yet another title out of the hat? It is hard to see any of the other New Zealand teams getting past them, but who knows what the Australians and South Africans will bring to the competition this year?
The South African sides have been gradually closing in on Australasia after several very indifferent years. The Cats, Stormers and even the once-hapless Bulls are now better-prepared than ever before.
There is much speculation about another tactical jump-shift by the Brumbies this year but don't expect to see much of that in the pre-season friendlies. The plotters in Canberra are much too smart for that.
The Brumbies bring an applied, rather than an instinctive, intelligence to their game and are clearly the benchmark against which all others will judge their standing.
At one end of the efficiency scale last year were the Brumbies. At the other were the Chiefs and there are few indications that this year will be any different.
The Highlanders, with a new, and presumably rejuvenated Jeff Wilson, have more than a bit to prove. They were infuriating to watch at times last year, falling off tackles and indulging in dumb stuff that handed points to opposition teams who had far less strike power.
Their much-heralded pack was a particular disappointment, not least to the All Black selectors, and this may be last-chance time for last year's loafers, Hoeft and Meeuws.
Lurking in the shadows of unpredictability, as always, are the Hurricanes, whose capacity for miracles makes them the most feared team of any in the competition. Far and away the most stimulating squad, the Hurricanes have worked hard off-season on discipline and basic technique in the forwards.
Anyone who lets them have more than 40 per cent of the possession will be asking for a hiding.
If any team is poised to break through to the top it is the Hurricanes, and what a tonic for the game that would provide if they did.
New Zealand's Super 12 squads
2001 Super 12 schedule
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