Highlanders look to break jinx

Coach Greg Cooper is quietly confident the Highlanders are as ready as they can be for what should be a challenging start to the new Super 14.

For any side, the prospect of playing the Crusaders in Christchurch is no cause for overexcitement - or optimism.

For the Highlanders, who have not beaten the Crusaders since 2001 and have not won at Jade Stadium since 1996, the draw could be considered all the more unfavourable.

Still, Cooper is buoyant at the possibility of an early upset.

"You're playing a champion side packed with All Blacks who don't tend to lose on their home ground very often and who can be extremely potent.

"That just means we have to go up there and take our opportunities.

"I think we're in a reasonable state at this early stage of the season."

Cooper has been hit much harder than he would have liked by injuries in the pre-season.

Depth in the outside backs is a concern, with both Matt Saunders and Ben Smith sidelined, forcing new Chiefs recruit Richard Kahui to be rushed straight into action on the bench.

And Cooper's prize off-season draft pick, winger Roy Kinikinilau, has been restricted to just 20 minutes of rugby this year.

His hamstring appears to be fine and there will be much interest in the Highlanders' ability to get quick ball to the flanks to utilise Kinikinilau's strength and speed.

While Otago emphatically buried its Jade Stadium bogey with a stunning NPC semifinal win against Canterbury in October, Cooper has not used that performance as motivation this week.

"Otago and Canterbury are very different teams to the Highlanders and the Crusaders," he said.

"That was an outstanding performance by Otago but it has to stand alone.

"Generally speaking, Highlanders-Crusaders games are good old battles anyway, and I suspect we'll see the same thing again this week.

"I thought the Crusaders looked pretty good in the pre-season and they're still probably one of the best organised teams in the competition."

Cooper agreed the Crusaders would not be precisely the same team without foundation halfback and All Black great Justin Marshall.

But he was also at pains to point out how well he rated Marshall's replacement, Kevin Senio, set to make his debut after transferring from Bay of Plenty and the Chiefs.

The Crusaders look shorter of depth than normal but can still field a starting 15 containing no fewer than 13 past or present All Blacks.

They possess arguably the Super 14's most complete player (Dan Carter), its leading finisher in 2005 (Rico Gear), and two of the world's premier forwards (Chris Jack and Richie McCaw).

Weaknesses? None that are obvious, though Otago proved what could be done by double-teaming McCaw.

There is no reason to believe the Highlanders cannot match or better the Crusaders in the tight five, nor probe a relatively lightweight midfield by sending in Seilala Mapusua and Neil Brew against Aaron Mauger and Caleb Ralph.

* Crusaders v Highlanders, Jade Stadium, 7.35pm tonight

- Otago Daily Times