A competitive team
Ideally it would be good to see the Highlanders win all their games. But that might be a bit unrealistic. They are a new team, with a handful of players who are inexperienced at this level and have not played a lot of rugby together. That said, it would be good to see them at least stay competitive in all of their games and win a few too.
In recent years there has been one New Zealand team that seems significantly weaker than the others on paper, yet they have performed alright on the field. In 2011 the Highlanders were the third best New Zealand team, the 2012 Hurricanes were the fourth best but were not far off the pace, and last year a young Blues team toppled some teams more experienced than them.
This year the Highlanders would appear to be the weak team on paper, but should they are more than capable of playing the spoiler role and upsetting a few teams. It may be unrealistic to expect a championship from this year's team, but it would certainly good to see them push their opposition.
Win the games that are there to win
Winning is a skill in itself. While it is important to be able to execute in all the different areas of the game, sometimes the most important thing is to just be able to find a way to get the job done. This is not as easy as it sounds and last year there were a few games that were there for the taking but slipped through the Highlanders' fingers.
In 2013 they need to ensure that they close out these opportunities, as they can be the difference between a good year and a bad one. Good teams make winning a habit, finding and executing the best way to get the job done from any given situation.
The new players to step up
2014 sees plenty of new players in the Highlanders set-up and it would be good to see them stepping up and making a difference. These new men can be found all across the park, so it could come in any way, shape or form. Last year it was obvious that the side was lacking something, some punch through the midfield, a presence at set-piece, security at the breakdown and direction in the inside backs. There are players that have joined this team that could help with all of those things, as well as a few returning youngsters who will be better for the experience. Whether they materialise this way, though, is a different thing and will require the players to really step up and make the transition to this level.
Big crowds at the game
There is no question that the rugby is a better experience with a full house at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
It is a stadium that sound echoes in and can get very loud with a large crowd in full voice, making for an electric atmosphere. From the team's point of view it surely helps them perform better too, as the home players feed off the energy and the away players may be slightly thrown off their game. For either of these reasons, make sure you get along to the games and make this season a memorable one.
Quality rugby being played
Ultimately it is this that will determine the quality of this year's competition. While a tough grind can indeed be intriguing, there is nothing better in rugby than seeing an open, expansive game being attempted and executed well. Dunedin is lucky in this regard, as teams tend to bring this sort of attitude to the city, looking to exploit the good conditions in the indoor stadium. Expect plenty of free-flowing rugby at a frenetic pace.
