Sports Comment with Nick Tolerton | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

Before a ball's been kicked, 2005 already looks a watershed year for Canterbury rugby.

Justin Marshall is off to Leeds after the Super 12, and British media suggests that Andrew Mehrtens, his partner at the heart of red and black teams for a decade, will also move to the UK. Now the replacement of Reuben Thorne by Richard McCaw as captain of the Crusaders will inevitably raise speculation that Thorne, Mehrtens' brother-in-law, could also go overseas.

The contracts of both Mehrtens and Thorne expire at the end of this season.

With Brad Thorn, Marika Vunibaka, Mark Hammett, and Ben Blair also gone, Dave Hewett off to Llanelli after the Super 12, and Norm Maxwell also a subject of overseas transfer rumours since last season, it could be a time of huge change for Canterbury rugby. The Crusaders and Canterbury managements have had the priceless knack of maintaining ongoing success on the field in spite of comings and goings in the squads over the years.

However, it looks as though the time is coming when this ability will be tested as never before. McCaw's promotion to captain will not be a total surprise to fans. He's being groomed as the All Black captain and showed inspirational leadership in Canterbury's charge to the NPC title. By any yardstick Thorne's contribution to both New Zealand and Canterbury rugby has been magnificent, and he's led the Crusaders to three Super 12 finals in three seasons as skipper.

Without the burden of the captaincy, expect Thorne to achieve even more around the field in the Super 12. Whatever happens, on-field leadership is not going to be a problem for the Crusaders. They will go into Super 12 with no less than six first-class captains (McCaw, Thorne, Marshall, Aaron Mauger, Sam Broomhall, and Corey Flynn) in the squad.

# Don't forget the Crusaders will be in action for the first time this year on Sunday ? at Hagley Oval in the annual gala cricket match against a sports stars 11, raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Association.