Wynne Gray: Lack of sting from star teams

Sonny Bill Williams in action for the Chiefs during their round one victory over the Blues. Photo / Getty Images

Those inclined to provoke early season niggle will declare the Crusaders are toast, the Bulls are crisping and the Reds are burned offerings.

Anyone who understands the vagaries of the Super rugby series will urge caution while accepting there was a confusing lack of sting about the Crusaders and Bulls and a frayed edge to the Reds.

There's nothing new about those observations which will give those franchises an extra convulsion as they eye up round two. If the confusion remains after the test players have returned, the fast twitch fibres will be coming from coaches, officials and fans.

The best thing about the start of Super rugby was the return of a swag of players-some who missed huge chunks of the last tournament or had been off the radar for a while. We got an abbreviated glimpse of Daniel Carter, back in Crusaders livery after his leg issues and watched him hobble on for an extra 10 minutes after jarring some part of his frame. Until we hear a definitive medical report we won't know the extent of the problem but let's hope it does not develop into a Shane Bond-type will he or won't he play scenario.

On marched the Popeye-framed David Pocock for the Brumbies after two seasons hacked down by knee injuries. There was no stopping the flanker whose battle with or perhaps partnership with Wallaby captain Michael Hooper should be a showstopper. Pocock and others made life tough for new Reds recruit Karmichael Hunt.

Another code-hopper Sonny Bill Williams rode into the spotlight for the Chiefs, forming a powerful partnership with young Damian McKenzie as they probed anxiety areas for the Blues. Williams looked a shade underdone but the trademark flicks, offloads and carry across the gain-line were back.

In Blues livery for the first time was Jimmy Cowan, a halfback who has been away in Europe for a while, got some more tatts, a floppy hairstyle and bushy beard without any alteration on his sporting thermostat. How the Blues need someone, anyone, to give them a cattle prod and some backline context.

Some late cajoling came from Luke Braid who returns from shoulder surgery to help push the buttons with new skipper Jerome Kaino and up the loose forward combo.

Two Hurricanes loosies Ardie Savea and Brad Shields were back after layoffs while Robbie Fruean re-emerged from his latest heart issues in the Crusaders jersey on the wing, where he offered his pre-Nemani Nadolo return 'dozer step.

In South Africa, the Bulls welcomed former skipper Pierre Spies from his lengthy health scares and there was a 30-minute debut from the Sharks bench for Matt Stevens, the former England and Lions prop, who returned to the game after a two-year drugs ban.