Wynne Gray: Rust and rugby mix it with rain

All the regular rugby strands were on display as the Super 14 began life at the weekend with its version of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Statistically, South Africa were the best performed of the Sanzar nations because the Sharks held off the clumsy Chiefs in the solitary cross-country clash.

Domestic bragging rights were sorted out in the other six matches where rust, rugby and rain were the ingredients for the sporting recipe.

The referees turned up but scarcely made an imprint, unlike de Wet Barry's attempted headbutt and the pugilistic pantomime between Phil Waugh and David Croft in Brisbane. Wendell "Dell Boy" Sailor was also good value as he blued with the Reds.

Top of the New Zealand heap were the Crusaders and Hurricanes, sides who made the best use of their gifts as they overcame the Highlanders and Blues.

The Crusaders were solid, strong and adventurous. Their attacking choices were widespread. The Highlanders were much more limited and had their forward axis contained.

The Crusaders also had the advantage of Daniel Carter's talents, a first five-eighths whose pedigree shone in comparison with others who wore the No 10 jersey at the weekend.

Aimless or ill-directed kicking from many of the other five-eighths in round one was a numbing distraction and the New Zealand contingent of Stephen Donald, Nick Evans, Jimmy Gopperth and Tasesa Lavea will be various shades of rueful after the weekend.

But the New Zealand teams will be more productive than the Force, who will surely test the enthusiasm of their plentiful supporters if they cannot produce more than eight-man rugby.

An impressive opening surge of support for the Blues at Eden Park will also be tested if they continue to squander the sort of substantial halftime lead they held against the Hurricanes.

The hosts were travelling well until it rained. The Canes raised the tempo through Ma'a Nonu and Co while the Blues' intensity dipped as they floundered with the referee's scrum rulings and the conditions.

After a mixed first half, the Canes soared home with five unanswered tries while the Blues took flight.

The Hurricanes repeated the historic breakthrough win they achieved last year against the Blues and should give the series a decent shake. Much will depend on the output of their front five but there will be no doubt about the productive onslaught from the loose trio of Chris Masoe, Jerry Collins and Rodney So'oialo.

They were as ruthless as Richie McCaw was leading the Crusaders to a relentless victory against an attack-deficient Highlanders.

Those results leave an edgy prospect for the vanquished Blues and Highlanders when they meet in round two at Carisbrook on Friday, with a similar drama for the Chiefs and Cats the next morning in Johannesburg.

Seeking trends at this stage of the Super 14 is like settling on a healthy group of New Zealand fast bowlers for the cricket series with the West Indies.

Even though this rugby marathon runs until May, sides already in the bottom half of the table will have an extra quiver facing this weekend.