It feels like just the other day that the season was coming to an end, and yet here we all are back again for the start of an even more excitingly congested rugby season.

The fact that I’m writing this column from a bitterly cold Belfast in Northern Ireland doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm and excitement of the showpiece of southern hemisphere rugby that’s about to kick off this coming weekend.

So much has happened in the past few months, so we’ve got a lot to discuss – some pressing issues that have occupied rugby headlines. New signings, new faces, the old moving on (no names mentioned…) and some positional changes within teams. Off- the-field headlines saw our favourite doctor, Jannie du Plessis, tie the knot with his beautiful fiancée Ronelle. Well done on taking the leap!

This season will be more congested than the last one with Super Rugby stretching into August, and with only a few weeks break in June. During this time there will be an incoming English tour, and of course the former Tri-Nations, which now welcomes the Argentina into the competition. More rugby with an even bigger demand on the players.

When will the powers that be realise that the players are their most valuable asset, and if they don’t protect and manage them they will have no game and ultimately no livelihood? The same old story.

Predictions are always difficult to make so early in the season, but sometimes you just have to stick your neck out – so here we go.

Blues and Crusaders from New Zealand. The Blues managed to sign Ma’a Nonu and Piri Weepu. They will add huge value to the team from Auckland. It will take a very wise, or should I say stupid, man not to back the Crusaders. Like most other seasons, they will be there or close enough once again.

The Reds from Aussie. The current champs have a very young and yet very physical pack of forwards with some outstanding playmakers like Will Genia and Quade Cooper in their back division. Although Cooper will miss the first few weeks due to injury, one would still expect them to cope without him.

Now to the most tricky and difficult one to call, the SA conference.

As a former Shark I would always want them to do well, but sometimes you need to follow your head and not your heart. I do, however, think that the local teams have a very good chance of making the play-offs again. The Sharks have have a setback or two with The Beast breaking his ankle, and Julian Redelinghuys dislocating his – how bizarre is that – while Conrad Hoffman injured his chest in the gym.

Most teams, however, have a few injuries leading into the competition, and the depth of all squads will be tested throughout the competition.

I think that the Cheetahs will do better than in previous years, but doubt if they will challenge for a play-off spot yet, as predicted by some of their supporters.

Maybe in a year or so, only time will tell.

The Bulls are without the core of their team from previous years, but expect them to be very competitive, especially at home.

The Stormers will be well organised in defence, as always, and hard to score against, but lack real grunt and big ball carriers in their pack. Jacque Fourie often got them over the gain line in previous seasons, but the big centre is not available to them as he is currently playing his rugby in Japan.

The Lions will also show a huge improvement from their past few seasons, but will still need to grow a bit as a team. I do, however, back them to climb a good few spots up the table. Let’s hope for their sake that they avoid serious injuries in crucial positions.

Enjoy your rugby this weekend.