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Ian Foster isn't running away from any favourites tag pinned on the Chiefs for this season's Super 14.
For the first time in the franchise's history the Chiefs start the campaign as one of the hotly-tipped teams.
This comes from Waikato's Air New Zealand Cup success last year and no obvious weak spots in the Chiefs team.
And rather than playing down the Chiefs' chances, Foster says he can feel this could be a great season.
"We feel like there's a bit of confidence in the team," Foster told Sunday News. "When you look at the last three years, we've been progressing in this championship and have become more of a contender.
"That builds confidence and we certainly have been buoyed by what Waikato did in the Air NZ Cup.
"While that doesn't translate to success in the Super 14 automatically, it does give us confidence."
The Chiefs only appearance Super Rugby playoffs was in 2004. They played the Brumbies in Canberra and lost 32-17.
The Chiefs beat the Blues 24-21 in Rotorua last Thursday, the final hit-out before their opener against the Brumbies in Hamilton on Saturday .
Foster says he's close to knowing what the starting XV will be.
"We're reasonably down the track," he said. "There are a number of options which mean we're going to be evolving a starting XV as the championship runs through. We've now got a number of options at 10, 12 and 13 that we've been playing with that mean we don't feel we have to settle too early on.
"The loose forwards are going to be a bit tough, but with Sione Lauaki breaking a bone in his hand (in the pre-season game against the Blues) and being out for three to four weeks, it's going to make those decisions easier."
Flanker Marty Holah says if the Chiefs get in the same position this year they won't go in overawed
"There's a knack to being successful at that end of the season."
"We've been the form team at the end of the season over the last couple of Super 14s, but through our own faults we've dropped a couple of games early in the season and fell out of contention," Holah said. "But it's not a given that it's going to be a good season. We had a great NPC season in 2002 and followed on with our worst Super 12 ever."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3942879a10295.html
For the first time in the franchise's history the Chiefs start the campaign as one of the hotly-tipped teams.
This comes from Waikato's Air New Zealand Cup success last year and no obvious weak spots in the Chiefs team.
And rather than playing down the Chiefs' chances, Foster says he can feel this could be a great season.
"We feel like there's a bit of confidence in the team," Foster told Sunday News. "When you look at the last three years, we've been progressing in this championship and have become more of a contender.
"That builds confidence and we certainly have been buoyed by what Waikato did in the Air NZ Cup.
"While that doesn't translate to success in the Super 14 automatically, it does give us confidence."
The Chiefs only appearance Super Rugby playoffs was in 2004. They played the Brumbies in Canberra and lost 32-17.
The Chiefs beat the Blues 24-21 in Rotorua last Thursday, the final hit-out before their opener against the Brumbies in Hamilton on Saturday .
Foster says he's close to knowing what the starting XV will be.
"We're reasonably down the track," he said. "There are a number of options which mean we're going to be evolving a starting XV as the championship runs through. We've now got a number of options at 10, 12 and 13 that we've been playing with that mean we don't feel we have to settle too early on.
"The loose forwards are going to be a bit tough, but with Sione Lauaki breaking a bone in his hand (in the pre-season game against the Blues) and being out for three to four weeks, it's going to make those decisions easier."
Flanker Marty Holah says if the Chiefs get in the same position this year they won't go in overawed
"There's a knack to being successful at that end of the season."
"We've been the form team at the end of the season over the last couple of Super 14s, but through our own faults we've dropped a couple of games early in the season and fell out of contention," Holah said. "But it's not a given that it's going to be a good season. We had a great NPC season in 2002 and followed on with our worst Super 12 ever."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3942879a10295.html
