Saturday marks the inaugural final of the Super 14 rugby union competition. The match sees perennial favorites and five-time champions, the Crusaders, against fellow countrymen and first-time finalists, the Hurricanes.

The teams will compete in what shapes up as a torrid affair between two highly skilled and deftly strong teams from New Zealand. With the 2007 World Cup fast approaching, things are looking good for New Zealand rugby.

Super rugby (a collective name for Super 14 rugby and its predecessor, Super 12 rugby) has been around since its inception in 1996 as the Super 12 competition. This competition marked the amalgamation of officials from the three involved unions to form one controlling body, SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby). SANZAR had no authority over the various unions, yet was entrusted with the organization of what has developed into arguably the world's best provincial rugby competition.

In 2006, two additional teams were added -- one from South Africa and one from Australia – bringing the respective team totals to 5 and 4 (New Zealand has had five teams from the commencement of the Super 12). Of the 10 seasons already run, New Zealand teams have won eight titles -- a remarkable effort given the relative size differences between the countries. This weekend's match will add a ninth Super rugby title to New Zealand.

With international rugby being such a competitive affair at the elite level (an upper echelon of countries would, in most rugby aficionados minds, be made up of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Argentina) it is interesting to note the continued success of the Kiwi teams.

The varying degrees of success of teams from each country can be explored with the findings not completely unexpected.

South African teams have consistently been the weaker teams over the decade of Super rugby. The teams generally perform well at home in front of raucous crowds who produce cheering, jeering and outrageous antics, which wouldn't be out of place at a South American soccer local club derby. The atmosphere created at a packed South African stadium leaves the visiting team feeling unwary and ill at ease. Often, the noise is so loud that simple play-calling on the field is made impossible.

So given the definite home-ground advantage the South African teams all seem to have, why do the results not stack up evenly? With up to five games on Australian or Kiwi soil each season, travel looms as a major factor in the success (or lack of) of the South African teams. The Aussie and Kiwi teams will do at least one South African trip each season of two or, at the most, three games. The trip will be around 12-15 days and, as such, provides these teams with a quick whistle stop tour. Coming away from South Africa with even one win is considered a satisfactory trip.

The Africans, however, will play all four or five of their away matches in the one trip and fatigue can set in quickly. Generally speaking, South African teams are considered underdogs when playing outside their own country, which is not the case for the Aussies and the Kiwis.

So why the distinct difference in the success of Aussie teams and Kiwi teams? There are, ultimately, many factors that contribute to this, but there is one that will continue to plague Australian rugby for many seasons to come.

Rugby is a religion in New Zealand. The highest sporting accolade one can earn is to be presented with an All Black jersey and run onto the field to perform the haka and engage in the ruthless battle that is rugby. While other sports are played in New Zealand, it is rugby that dominates the lives of the people.

New Zealand also has strong links to the Pacific Island nations. These island nations embrace rugby with the same passion as the Kiwis, and a whole host of players from the tiny nations seem to suit up for the All Blacks every year. I’m not altogether confident that this is fair, however, one can't argue with bloodlines and it is these that dictate who can play for which country. The issue of the Kiwis robbing the tiny nations of their small talent pool is one for another discussion.

Prior to it becoming professional in 1995, rugby was but a blip on the radar for Aussie football fans, regardless of the success of past Wallaby teams. Rugby was overshadowed by both Australian Rules football (this unique game can only be likened to Gaelic football in Ireland) and its working class cousin, rugby league. For years, these two sports dominated the sports reports and throngs of fans attended matches. The professional era of rugby, combined with the 1991 World Cup win helped to kick-start rugby on its road to becoming a major sport in Australia.

Even after 10 seasons of televised, action-packed rugby, it still can only be considered to have a share of the football market, unlike across the Tasman where it has a monopoly. When the new Super 14 franchise for 2006 was announced to be in Perth rather than Melbourne, it showed that the road to such a monopoly is a long one and will take a very long time to travel.

Melbourne has been the heart and soul of Australian Rules football since the 1800s and the fact that the Australian Rugby Union chose Perth, with its huge ex-pat British and South African communities, showed that perhaps Australia is not ready to see rugby become its number one national sport. With their recent qualification into this year's soccer World Cup, Australia will inevitably have a fourth football code to join in the tussle.

The argument about the varying levels of success across the teams from the three competing countries in the Super 14 is a moot point come Saturday. The only success that matters is that of having the higher score when the final whistle blows after 80 minutes.

The Crusaders have a long history of success and are deserved favorites to defend last season's title. The Hurricanes feature and abundance of All Black talent and can match it with any side in the competition on any given day.

Rugby in New Zealand is contested fiercely with every bit of each man's pride put into each and every run, tackle, kick and pass. The team that keeps its head, sticks to its game plan, executes its set pieces and steers clear of foul play may well get the honor of drinking from the cup of success.