Deja vu for NZ franchises

It was deja vu for New Zealand's five rugby franchises in a Super 14 regular season which had a familiar ring to it.

The wash-up of a drama-filled final round saw the finishing order of last year's Super 12 nearly repeated verbatim, with the two new teams -- the 10th-placed Cheetahs and last-placed Western Force -- debuting near the bottom.

The same four teams have reached the semifinals, with the Crusaders again top qualifiers, but the Hurricanes improved two places to second, pushing the Waratahs and Bulls down one place each.

Next came the only team to alter markedly from last year, with South Africa's Sharks improving from last to fifth.

Remarkably, the remaining teams line up in the same order as last year.

It is a depressingly familiar repeat for the other three New Zealand teams, with the Chiefs, Blues and Highlanders placing seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.

Once again they set up camp in the middle of the table when all started the season harbouring semifinal hopes.

The best of them were the Chiefs, who finished two points outside the playoffs.

Just like last year, they paid for a slow start, injuries and some crucial close losses.

They stormed home with their two best results of the season, toppling the Waratahs in Hamilton and hammering the neighbouring Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.

It was a far cry from their tentative start in South Africa, where they lost to the Sharks and Cats. Three wins from the first nine weeks left them staring down the barrel.

Among their best were electric winger Sitiveni Sivivatu and the two backs who had shifted south from Auckland, Mils Muliaina and Sam Tuitupou.

No 8 Sione Lauaki was in blockbusting form before being injured in round nine, leaving impressive flanker Marty Holah to shoulder plenty.

Lock Bernie Upton was a supreme lineout exponent while hooker Tom Willis made an encouraging return from a lengthy neck injury stand down.

The major problems were a lack of real tight five grunt and the inconsistent form of halves Byron Kelleher and Stephen Donald.

The Blues' momentum went the other way, closing out with their two worst games -- losses to the Cats and Chiefs.

Boasting a roster of real class, the Blues somehow conceded 27 points per game, a statistic that reflected a lack of cohesion and, often, an apparent lack of fitness.

First-year coach David Nucifora will need to explain another season of Blues under-performance although he is likely to continue in 2007.

Prop Tony Woodcock gave the Blues a potent scrum but the rest of their big-name tight five failed to fire.

Rugged flanker Troy Flavell made a storming return to New Zealand rugby from Japan but his influence was lost when he was injured in round 10.

First five-eighth Luke McAlister and centre Anthony Tuitavake produced some classy touches while Isa Nacewa's multiple skills proved invaluable. However, wingers Joe Rokocoko and Doug Howlett received far too few chances for players of their calibre.

A lowlight was the 16-week ban handed down to midfielder Rua Tipoki for striking against the Force.

The Highlanders' problems were the same as ever -- dominant pack, flaky backs.

Front rowers Carl Hayman and Anton Oliver helped give them the strongest scrum in the competition, while lock James Ryan was having a dream season before exiting with injury after eight rounds.

An even more significant injury blow came in the fifth round to first five-eighth Nick Evans, who had provided a cutting edge the Highlanders backline has lacked for years.

After a bright start in South Africa, the first game without Evans was a shocking home loss to the Sharks and there were few high points from there aside from a shock defeat of the Brumbies in Canberra.

Midfielders Seilala Mapusua and Neil Brew were workmanlike but their team ended with just 228 points from 13 matches, the third worst in the competition.

- NZPA