Weekend wrap: Jake White’s Sharks off to a flyer; injury scare for Quade Cooper

THE Jake White era couldn’t have started any better at the Sharks while a key Red could be in doubt for round two.

SUPER Rugby round one is in the books and while there were just two all-South African games to start the 2014 season, the on-field action didn’t disappoint.

There were also a number of trial matches across Australia and New Zealand with several teams making the most of a final pre-season hit-out.

Read on for our review of round one and the final trial action!

EARLY MARKER IN SOUTH AFRICA

Let’s call it the “Jake White Effect”. A team enjoys just 35 per cent of the possession yet still manages to come out 15-point winners.

The Sharks have been tipped for big things, and on the evidence of their 31-16 victory over the Bulls at the weekend the pre-season talk looks well warranted.

Making the win even more impressive was the fact they picked up the four-try bonus- point, something they’ve struggled to do over the last few seasons and one area where White’s arrival wasn’t expected to coincide with rapid improvement.

Superbly marshalled from fly half by Patrick Lambie – goal-kicking aside – the Sharks have started the season in the best possible fashion and with their next three games at home, have the chance to open up an early lead in the South African conference.

Patrick Lambie had a fine game at No.10

HOW IMPORTANT QUADE COOPER IS TO THE REDS

WHEN the Wallaby five-eighth was stretchered off last Friday night in the trial, you could almost sense every rugby fan in Queensland holding their breath too.News_Rich_Media: Red's coach Richard Graham believes scans to Quade Cooper are just precautionary and the injury isn't serious

He is that important to the Reds cause. Slick long balls and short passes have set up the Reds best attacks in the trials and the team’s creativity is locked in his head.

No certainty to play in Canberra with his sore neck. If he doesn’t it will be a whole lot harder to win for the Reds.

- Jim Tucker

Read more: Five things we learned about the Reds from their Super Rugby trials

(link: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/super-rugby/five-things-weve-learned-about-the-reds-in-the-lead-up-to-the-2014-super-rugby-season/story-e6frf4qu-1226829024015)

CHIEFS WILL BE MISSING ALL BLACKS STAR

The Chiefs kick off their quest for a hat-trick of titles on Friday with a rematch of last year’s epic semi-final against the Crusaders.

But they’ll have to make do without the services of star flanker Sam Cane, who is set to miss “a few weeks” after injuring his knee during the Chiefs’ 43-19 win over the Blues in a pre-season match at the weekend.

Cane, 22, has been a key player for the Chiefs in their two title-winning seasons.

His absence would be sorely felt against a star-studded Crusaders outfit featuring a fire-up Richie McCaw, who by all reports is raring to go for the start of the Super Rugby season after blowing out the cobwebs with a big 40 minutes in his side’s trial win over the Hurricanes.

REBELS READY TO RATTLE WITH DEFENCE

Talking about improving tackling intensity is one thing, doing it is another.

But when the opposition starts reacting to relentless jolting, the evidence is overwhelming.

The feedback from the Reds’ camp on Friday night - following their trial loss to Melbourne at Ballymore was that some of their players were genuinely rocked by the ferocity of the new-look Rebels.

Times are changing at The Stockade.

- Leo Schlink

LIONS CAUSE TIPPING COMP CHAOS

Congratulations if you tipped the Lions over the Cheetahs – you’re in select company. News_Rich_Media: The Lions have managed to take out the opening match of the Super Rugby season without scoring a try, with debutant Marnitz Boshoff slotting six penalty goals and a last minute drop goal to seal a 21-20 victory over the Cheetahs.

Returning to Super Rugby after a 12-month hiatus, the Lions showed they may not simply replace the Kings as the competition’s easybeats and could in fact offer up some stark resistance.

The Lions failed to score a try in the one-point victory but a domination of the key statistics including possession, run metres and total phases suggests they’ll be a team that plays for territory and penalty goals.

That formula could be successful in the early part of the season but as teams start hitting their straps, it’s hard to see the Lions repeating the weekend’s victory with any regularity.