The Crusaders clash with the Chiefs in Hamilton this weekend comes at the perfect time.

It has become a constant theme that a lot of refereeing decisions being made in Super Rugby are fairly average, writes Richard Loe.

Justin Marshall breaks down the issues with scrums and how the new rules are blunting the attacking capabilities of backlines.

If you like your rugby loose with frequent scoreboard changes then head for Eden Park on Saturday.

If rugby bosses are serious about making the game more attractive for players, spectators and the television audience, they have to do something about the scrums.

Justin Marshall explains the Stormers' effective use of the out-to-in defence and how the Chiefs will try and break it.

There are some words you don't usually associate with English rugby.

Consistency is not yet their forte as they wavered on the Highveld in Pretoria, teasing us they might conjure a late victory before falling 38-22 to the Bulls, writes Wynne Gray.

The All Black skipper has shown on numerous occasions that he can return to top flight rugby after a long lay-off and play miraculously good rugby, writes Gregor Paul.

John Kirwan is on a crusade to get more passion back into his side and stir more support from Aucklanders, writes Wynne Gray.

If you're a fan of the Blues, you have every right to feel encouraged by what you saw on Friday night, writes Justin Marshall.

The Crusaders haven't had the start they wanted but I wouldn't be too worried about their longer term prospects. Not yet, anyway, writes Richard Loe.

Outrageously young, supremely talented and yet virtually unknown, Tevita Li took a giant step towards stardom last night, writes Gregor Paul.

Every sports competition needs a stack of components to make it more intriguing and they gallantly delivered when Super Rugby kicked off, writes Wynne Gray.

It is easy to write off the Crusaders' loss to the Chiefs on Friday as a bad night in front of the posts, writes Justin Marshall. But for me the Crusaders' concerns should run deeper than that.

The Chiefs had injury dramas before they played the Crusaders, now they have even more but frankly, I doubt whether it will slow them down much, writes Richard Loe.

The latest information released by Super Rugby's governing body Sanzar about the competition's proposed new format is heavy on possibility but light on detail, writes Patrick McKendry.

Herald columnist Justin Marshall breaks down the five franchises ahead of this weekend's NZ Super Rugby launch.

Best thing about the Highlanders? Their foxy home stadium, the Smiths, Nasi Manu and Brad Thorn, writes Wynne Gray.

I can't, for the life of me, understand the concept of resting the All Blacks for the opening rounds of Super Rugby.

Rugby fans, are you dark that the All Blacks missed the big gong at the Halberg Awards, that league has invaded Eden Park and the Super 15 kicks off early tomorrow?

The arguments for and against resting Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu for the Blues' first game of the season against the Highlanders, writes Patrick McKendry.

Benji, alone, will not be the side's saviour but if the team sparks and his talent begins to flow, the Blues will be an awkward opponent, writes Wynne Gray

Rugby was the winner in 2013. No doubt about that. But did our other traditional football codes have to be such losers?