In a round 24 hours we’ll all be settling in to watch the opening round of Super Rugby with the Blues taking on the Crusaders. It’s fair to say I am very excited about having rugby back in my life, as I’m sure all of you are, so let’s not waste any time and have a look at the opening round of the 2012 Super Rugby Competition.

Blues vs. Crusaders: Yesterday I had a look at the opening game, and said I think the Blues will pick up the win in the battle of New Zealand’s two best teams. I still stand by that statement. This should be a very exciting game to kick things off. There is very little between the two sides, but I give the Blues a slight edge in experience. I expect to see the Blues put plenty of pressure on Tyler Bleyendaal who is making his debut at this level. I’m tipping the Blues in a close game.

Brumbies vs. Western Force: The second game on Friday night is a battle between two teams I expect to see fighting it out for the wooden spoon at the end of the season. I don’t expect this game to be the best you’ll ever see, but it should be a fiercely contested game. The Force have named a stronger side than the Brumbies, which is why I’m tipping them to get the first up win.

Bulls vs. Sharks: The first of the South African teams to play in 2012, and this should be a very intriguing matchup. The Sharks have named a strong side, and are looking like they’ll be a tough team to beat this season. The Bulls have lost a whole lot of experience this season, but writing them off is something that shouldn’t be done lightly. Home ground advantage has always been a big strength of the Bulls, but I can see the Sharks claiming the early points in this one. My money will be on the Sharks. Should be an epic encounter.

Chiefs vs. Highlanders: Another evenly matched encounter that could come down to a penalty or two. The Highlanders have been struck heavily by injury, and have held off naming their team until tomorrow morning as they wait on the fitness of a few players. The Chiefs have named a very solid team, and a strong backline that should test the Highlanders defence. This is a hard game to pick, and I might have to flip a coin to decide on a winner, but seeing as the Chiefs have hone field advantage I’ll tip them in a tight battle.

Warratahs vs. Reds: These two teams always save their best for each other, and have given us many memorable games. The Reds play a very exciting brand of footy, but the Warratahs have the tools to shut them down. Mike Harris will be given the task of starting at first five for the Reds, and while he may not have the profile Quade Cooper has, he is a talented player and should do a good job. If the Warratahs can shut down Will Genia I think they’ll secure the win. I’m tipping the Tahs in this one.

Stormers vs. Hurricanes: This is the only game I see going beyond 13+, and unfortunately for the Hurricanes it’s the Stormers I see picking up the big win. Playing in South Africa is tough at the best of times, but with the Hurricanes inexperienced squad it could prove to be tougher than usual. The Stormers are a tough team to beat, and as much as I’d like to see the Hurricanes win, I can’t see it happening in round 1. Stormers should be too good in this one.

Lions vs. Cheetahs: The battle of the big cats brings a close to round one, and while neither team has ever been a title contender (unless the title is the wooden spoon), it could be a pretty decent game of rugby. They’re not exactly the strongest teams in the competition, but should prove to be a tough test for one another. I think the Cheetahs will be the better of the two, and should be good enough to pick up the win. I think there will be plenty of points scored, but it will be close.

So that’s how I think the first round will go down. There are some seriously good games on offer in week one, but I expect to see a bit of rust among the teams. With the refs cracking down on the break down area the opening round might be a bit stop start, but I expect to see teams adapt pretty quickly.

Bring on game one.

Chris on Twitter