Super Rugby's swashbuckleing Queensland Reds have two major hurdles to overcome to successfully defend their title - an injured Quade Cooper and being in their rivals' crosshairs.
As good as the Reds (15-3) were in taking the competition by storm in 2011, they effectively flew under the radar as most attention was on the Crusaders, Blues and Stormers.
This year, Queensland will turn from hunter into the hunted.
And it must cope with the pressure without enigmatic five-eighth Cooper, who equally bewildered defenders with his mesmerising play and reliably carried out calculated, field-position game plans when the need arose last year.
Cooper's post-World Cup knee reconstruction will sideline him until April and a round seven clash with the Brumbies.
Mike Harris and Ben Lucas are auditioning for the playmaking hot seat and while the critics believe the Reds Will not be as dangerous without Cooper, the Wallabies five-eighth warned that his replacement would slot in and effectively steer the ship.
"It's not about being more dangerous or less dangerous," Cooper said.
"It's about the team gelling and both players have really stepped up and are ready to go.
"It's very exciting times and we know that people are going to be hunting us.
"Now we've won the title we're not just going to slip under the radar and catch teams off guard."
But the youthful Reds are one year more experienced, look even stronger on paper and do have a helpful advantage in the timing of Cooper's return.
Opponents would have furiously studied Queensland's successful game plans in the off-season but will not know how much it will change with either Harris or Lucas wearing number 10.
Then by the time the 2012 strategy fully emerges, Cooper will be fit and ready to go to call the shots through April and May.
There is no shortage of star power while he is away, thanks to 16 fit Test players led by Wallabies skipper James Horwill and inspirational half-back Will Genia.
On top of transforming the former cellar-dwellers, coach Ewen McKenzie has done a highly-admirable job of keeping his championship-winning squad together.
He did not lose anyone he wanted to keep and showed the desire for a Reds dynasty within Ballymore by enticing crowd-pleasing winger Digby Ioane to knock back a $1 million-a-season deal in Japan and re-sign for three more years.
Competition for positions is intense, shown by the hunger of fringe players like outside back Luke Morahan and back-rower Jake Schatz to nail starting places, while teenager Liam Gill will push number seven Beau Robinson all the way.
AAP
Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, australia First posted February 23, 2012 17:05:49