The Hurricanes have match winners all over the park while the Crusaders will be good as ever.
That is the glass-half-full approach. But the reality for the five New Zealand Super Rugby teams is they all have holes, some more than others.
The Blues have four All Black props so should not struggle at scrum time. The side has plenty of loose forward depth so it is a case of which players to leave out.
But what may be unsettling for the Blues is the inside backs — not an All Black among them although Otere Black made progress last year and Stephen Perofeta has potential.
The Blues midfield and outside backs look good and there are plenty of options.
One point of interest is that hooker Kurt Eklund, who was great last season, is not picked. He misses out to Soane Vikena (19).
However, Vikena is injured so Eklund is injury cover and will be in the squad. Eklund has been signed for two years from 2022. Old warhorse James Parsons (34) returns.
The Chiefs have lost Aaron Cruden but replaced him with former Highlander Bryn Gatland, who has signed a three-year deal.
The men from Hamilton can only get better after losing every game in Super Rugby Aotearoa this year.
The front row may be an issue. Injuries have plagued the side for years. Otago No8 Dylan Nel is not going back to the Chiefs and his future appears cloudy.
The Hurricanes have some X-factor players but there are issues in the inside backs.
Whatever the take on TJ Perenara at test level, he is a genuine talent at Super Rugby. His try-scoring record backs that up — more than 50 tries.
He will be very hard to replace and bringing in Simon Hickey hardly gets the heartbeat racing.
The Crusaders have promoted from within and brought in some talent from the successful Canterbury under-19 team. It is hard to see too many weaknesses although Brayden Ennor is out for the season and George Bridge is not going to be sighted until halfway through the season.
George Bower is the only Otago player in a squad apart from the Highlanders.
Unlucky to miss out are flanker Slade McDowall, who is a tad too small, and Josh Timu, who has really improved in the past year, while the curtains may be coming down on the career of Nasi Manu.
