Ignore Taranaki at your peril.
They should struggle to repeat last year's magnificent effort in making the semis, but then, where have you heard that comment before?
They have made the semis in two of the past three years.
Though Taranaki are portrayed as the over-achieving country cousins of the NPC, there is
far more structure and class to them than that.
They have a good feeder system with nearby unions, such as Manawatu, and they have around 10 players with Super 12 experience.
They will again rely on their no-nonsense forward pack, and may get prop Gordon Slater for early games if he misses the All Blacks' cut.
Coach Colin Cooper has tried to add more firepower out wide, and has recruited wing Dominic Byrne who had three matches for the Waratahs in the Super 12 last year.
Prop Tama Tuirirangi will be missing with his career under threat because of a back injury.
Newcomers include Wanganui, New Zealand sevens and divisional flanker Chris Masoe, and former Otago hooker Andrew Hore, who had a significant role with the Crusaders this year.
Expect more of the same from Taranaki under captain Andy Slater, but will it be enough?
2001 NPC schedules
