To add a bit of spice to the 2019 season - and for that matter, office chat - we've brought together an all-star five to compete in the first-ever Newshub Super Rugby tipping competition.
The rules are simple.
Pick the winner and margin of any Super Rugby game involving a New Zealand franchise, with points awarded in the following manner:
Pick the winner and margin (13-plus or 12-under) = three points.
Pick the winner only = one point.
Pick all results correctly: one bonus point.
The picks are in for week one, but here is a little bit about our tipsters.
Ross Karl, Newshub rugby editor
Supports: There is only one team - Counties-Manukau
Favourite all-time player: Jim Coe
Guilty pleasure while watching rugby: Eating all the press-box food.
The pressure is well and truly on Karl to perform at a high standard during the competition. Being rugby editor comes with many perks - a lot of hard work, but many, many perks - so a loss for Karl would result in many days of A-plus office trash talk.
Expect a measured and risk-free approach in his picks with the occasional eye-opener.
Andrew Gourdie, Newshub sports presenter
Supports: Crusaders
Favourite all-time player: Andrew Mehrtens
Guilty pleasure while watching rugby: Pilsner and chicken wings
Make no mistake about it, Gourdie wants to win this competition. Don't be fooled by his Backstreet Boys good looks and charming personality, he is a silent assassin.
Gourdie will likely spend the entire duration of every work day preparing for the Thursday deadline, making sure he has all the information needed to make astute picks.
But does he have it in him to bet against the Crusaders when the time is right? Only time will tell.
Ollie Ritchie, Newshub sports reporter
Supports: Crusaders
Favourite all-time player: Justin Marshall
Guilty pleasure while watching rugby: Red wine and two samosas
The pretty boy of the Newshub sports team, the well-travelled Ritchie will provide a likeable arrogance to the competition. Ritchie, who apparently was mates with every current Cantabrian sporting phenom, wears red and black with more pride than any human on the planet.
And that will likely be his fault - expect rash Crusaders 13-plus picks every week from the young gun.
Kristina Eddy, Newshub sports reporter/producer
Supports: Crusaders
Favourite all-time player: Christian Cullen
Guilty pleasure while watching rugby: Chilling with hot chocolate, and salt & vinegar chips
The self-proclaimed dark horse of the competition will quietly, but cerebrally, go about her work and before you know it she will be topping the boys.
Eddy is going places fast, both in this business and this comp, and there's no question she will be able to put her Crusaders bias aside.
Right, Kristina?
John Day, Newshub rugby reporter
Supports: Tasman is my life
Favourite all-time player: Richie McCaw
Guilty rugby watching pleasure: Cheering for Tasman players, even if they are playing against the Crusaders.
Day may possess one of the manliest voices on New Zealand radio, but can he transition that talent into rugby tipping. The short answer is yes.
The office go-to for rugby stats, scores, and players of the past and future, 'JD' would likely be the favourite, if we involved the TAB.
There isn't a player in the Super Rugby that Day doesn't know about, including his school, club, position and current relationship status.
Up the Mako!
Super Rugby week one:
Highlanders vs Chiefs, Blues vs Crusaders, Waratahs vs Hurricanes.
*Margin is based on the classic 12-under or 13-plus format.
Newshub.
