Super Rugby - How to pick your team

So I thought that given that the Super15 season has just started, I would hopefully get a few Americans into the sport, so what I'm going to do is tell you a little about each team, and give you their NFL analogues, helping you pick a team that you might like. This year the competition features 5 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, split into their 3 conferences. Each team will play the teams from their own conference twice, then one game against 4 of the 5 teams from the other two conferences. A win gets a team 4 points, a draw 2 points. Teams can get bonus points for scoring 4 tries in a game, or by losing by less than 7 points. The top team in each conference makes the playoffs, the top 3 teams in the competition also earn a wild card spot in the playoffs. [b]AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE[/b] [i]Queensland Reds = New Orleans Saints[/i] The Reds had been stagnant for the better part of a decade, before finding some of the best players in Australian rugby and winning their first title 2 years ago, however since then they've fallen into mediocrity. Their main playmaker, Quade Cooper, has the ability to be electrifying on offence but is inconsistent at best. Key players: Will Genia, Digby Ioane, Radike Samo [i]New South Wales Waratahs = Philadelphia Eagles[/i] Despite having had some of the best players to ever play the game, NSW has never won a title. As with most years, they have an excellent squad but little depth, having to field a Sydney premier grade fly half last weekend in their loss to the Reds. If half the squad can prevent their knees from exploding this year, they may do well. Key players: Tatafu Polota Nau, Wycliff Palu, Adam Ashley-Cooper [i]ACT Brumbies = San Francisco 49ers[/i] A team with a storied history, having won the most amount of Super Rugby titles of any Australian team. They also managed to sign one of the best Australian players currently playing in the offseason in openside flanker David Pocock. However, they haven't managed to accomplish a whole lot in recent years, but look like they've turned it around this year. Key players: David Pocock, Stephen Moore, Ben Mowen [i]Melbourne Rebels = Houston Texans[/i] The most recent Australian edition to the Super Rugby competition, the Rebels have a good team, managing to sign a very solid backline, however they haven't really managed to set the competition alight as their team suggests it should on paper. They are also a team that is dominated by another on the back pages (the Cowboys in the NFL, the AFL in Australia) However, if they manage to get some momentum, they may surprise in 2013. Key players: Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Scott Higginbotham [i]Western Force = Cleveland Browns[/i] A team that is consistently dominated by the rest of its conference, the Force are a team which are also fairly new to the competition, having only been added in 2005. Despite having some talented players, they overall weakness of their squad shows, which has prevented them from doing well in the past. They lost their best player in the offseason, which has hurt them badly. No one expects the Force to be a contender this year, especially since they lost to the competitions new team, the Southern Kings Key players: Alfie Mafi, Matt Hodgson, Hugh McMeniman [b]SOUTH AFRICAN CONFERENCE [/b] [i]Natal Sharks = Green Bay Packers[/i] Even though they usually have one of the strongest sides in the competition, and have had some of the best players play for them, the Sharks do not play well in the playoffs, having lost 4 Super Rugby grand finals (yes I know that the Packers have won Superb Owls, shut up). The Sharks have one of the most best young playmakers in the game in Patrick Lambie, a front row that strikes fear into the hearts of men and a good handful of Springboks (South African representative players). Look for the Sharks to make a real play at the title this year. Key players: Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck Du Plessis, Patrick Lambie [i]Vodacom (Pretoria) Bulls = Dallas Cowboys[/i] The Bulls are the only Super Rugby franchise to have won competition, having done so 3 times, but despite still having some very talented players hiding away in their squad, they are not expected to live up to the expectations of their fanatical fanbase. They won their 2nd round matchup against the Stormers, though I wouldn't expect them to continue this form when playing against the Sharks and the stronger NZ franchises. Key players: Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Chiliboy Ralepelle [i]Cape Stormers = Chicago Bears[/i] The Stormers usually possess quite a good squad, but haven't been able to translate that into success, this may be due to the fact that they play in one of the more tightly contested divisions. They possess one of the hardest (and dirtiest) flankers to play the game in Schalk Burger, and one of the best wingers in Brian Habana, but these players are aging and beginning to lose their speed, they also have a few injuries in their squad. Unless some handy players emerge in the next few weeks, don't expect much from the Stormers this year, even though their home stadium is one of the most difficult to play in for away teams. Key players: Schalk Burger, Gio Aplon, Andres Bekker [i]Central Cheetahs = Arizona Cardinals [/i]Useless team, though not the worst, the Cheetahs have really failed to produce anything since entering the competition in 2005. Most rugby fans consider a trip to Bloemfontein to be one of the 'free parking' spaces as far as rugby goes. They don't really have a playmaker in their backline, though Robert Ebersohn should do well in the centres for them. Sarel Pretorius also returns to his native South Africa after a disappointing second half of 2012 with the Waratahs. Key players: Andries Bekker, Sarel Pretorius, Robert Ebersohn [i]Southern Kings = Jacksonville Jaguars[/i] The Southern Kings have been added to the competition this year, having replaced the expelled Johannesburg Lions. The Port Elizabeth-based franchise are the first expansion team in Super Rugby history to have won their first game, beating the hapless Western Force on Sunday morning (Australian time). They are not really expected to win many more games this season, however. Their squad is made up of mostly Currie Cup (South African premier grade) players, with only a sprinkling of Super Rugby experience. Most rugby fans have the Kings as their second team due to their underdog status. Key players: Bandise Maku, Steven Sykes, Hadleigh Parkes, Nicholas Vergallo [b]NEW ZEALAND CONFERENCE[/b] [i]Canterbury Crusaders = New England Patriots[/i] One of the dominant sides of the last 15 years of Super Rugby History, and the team that everyone loves to hate because of their ugly style of rugby. The Crusaders have own 7 titles, by far the most of any team in the competition, however they haven't won the cup since 2008, and as their current stars age it becomes less and less likely that they will win again. That being said, they are perennial favourites for a reason, boasting arguably one of the best fly-halfs to ever play the game in Dan Carter. Key players: Owen Franks, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Israel Dagg [i]Otago Highlanders = Buffalo Bills[/i] The Highlanders are a team which is outpaced by every other team in their conference in every facet: headlines, skill, championships won. Be that as it may, they still have a decent squad and in the offseason signed one of the best centres to play the game in Ma'a Nonu. The Highlanders will always put up a tough fight, and you can never be assured of a win when playing against them, but they will not be in contention when the end of the season rolls around, such is the strength of the conference that they play in. Key Players: Andrew Hore, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear [i]Auckland Blues = Atlanta Falcons[/i] The Auckland Blues are a great team and a good franchise historically, winning 3 super rugby titles, but they are usually referred to as the second best team in their division, having been outshone pretty convincingly by their Canterbury-based rivals. Some years they manage to produce, this will not be one of those years. New Zealand is a country that consistently produces some of the best fly-halves in the game, but Chris Noakes is not in the same tier as Carter, Slade, Barrett and Cruden. They do have based Piri Weepu at scrum half, who was instrumental in his nation's world cup win in 2011, but there isn't a lot to fear in the Blues' backline outside of him. Much like the Falcons, Auckland will do well, but they won't win. Key Players: Keven Mealamu, Ali Williams, Piri Weepu [i]Wellington Hurricanes = Carolina Panthers[/i] The Hurricanes have the most exciting young halves pairing in the Super Rugby competition in TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett, their captain is also experienced centre Conrad Smith, a player who is always a threat and a good player in defence. They managed to sign Ben Franks in the offseason, a massive prop and boost to any forward pack. There is a lot to like in this Hurricanes team, but it all rests on the shoulders of their young playmakers. Key Players: Ben Franks, TJ Perenara, Victor Vito [i]Waikato Chiefs = Baltimore Ravens[/i] The Chiefs won the 2012 Super Rugby competition, their first title. This was a major achievement for the team seeing as they placed 11th and 10th in the previous 2 seasons. Since last year they have lost one of their key players in Money Bill Williams, however, and it will be interesting to see how the team bounces back. The Chiefs are a team that collectively is stronger than the sum of its parts, and, like all New Zealand teams, other clubs should watch out for. Key Players: Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Richard Kahui Which team do you like?