Rugby: Super start to 2010

Ofisa Tonu'u, from the 1996 Blues team, and captain Keven Mealamu talk strategy at the Super 14 launch at Henderson yesterday. Photo / Greg Bowker

After more than 1000 games of Super rugby, the same sides that began the professional rugby series in 1996 will duel at the start of this year's competition.

All Black hookers Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore will square off as they captain the Blues and the Hurricanes in next Friday's start to the competition at Albany.

Hore claimed at yesterday's series launch in Henderson that he was wounded but Mealamu dismissed that talk from his rugged foe.

"No matter what he says he is always ready. I expect him to play. He is one of the toughest guys I have ever come up against. He tells it like it is, he is pretty straight like that and he is pretty much like that on the field," said Mealamu.

The Blues finished ninth and the Hurricanes were third after pool play last season in a series which was eventually won by the Bulls when they walloped the Chiefs in the final in Pretoria.

The Blues last won the title in 2003 and have qualified for the playoffs only once since. However, Mealamu has been encouraged by the squad's progress and talks strongly about wanting the side to work into the season instead of peaking too early.

Already they have had their troubles. They have lost senior lock Ali Williams, who had surgery on his snapped Achilles tendon with initial reports that it had gone well and the prognosis was for an uncomplicated but lengthy recovery.

"No one has got a magic wand, no one knows how we are going to go but we have prepared as well as we can and I think that will put us in good stead," Mealamu said.

The new axis of the side, halfback Alby Mathewson and five-eighths Stephen Brett, was fitting in well.

"What will really make us play well this year is the competition in the team," said Mealamu, who is set to become the side's most capped player and first to 100 games this season.

"There is real competition in the loose forwards and they had been training the house down and in the backs like on the wings, there is the same deal with Joe Rokocoko, Rene Ranger and Rudi Wulf."

Mealamu was to rejoin the Blues last night in Nelson where they are holding a camp before playing the Crusaders in their final trial game tomorrow.