Blue Bulls head coach Pote Human named an experienced team for Friday night’s Currie Cup opener against the Free State in Bloemfontein.
Number eight Hanro Liebenberg leads the side that will include one Currie Cup debutant – lock Ruan Nortje – in the run-on side.
Flanker Thembelani Bholi will make his Blue Bulls debut in the competition, and so will Theo Maree and Earll Dowrie if they take to the field off the replacements bench.
Human feels there will be little room for error because there is only one round of fixtures.
“It is going to be tough to come back if you have a slow start in the competition, so every win will be crucial if you have ambitions to win the Currie Cup this year,” he said.
“It is going to be a very interesting and tense competition this season and we are looking forward to the challenge. Our preparations have gone well and I think this squad will be very competitive.”
Human believes that the experience gained by the players in the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament this year will help in the Currie Cup.
“Most of the players have been involved at that level, so should be able to cope with the pressures they will experience in Bloemfontein on Friday,” he said.
“Toyota Park can become a very lonely place for a visiting team if you don’t front up to a Free State side that will be very motivated to do well at home.”
Liebenberg said the squad are keen to start on a winning note.
“We have the ability, no doubt, so the challenge will be to make sure we play according to that. There are some really good players in both teams and I think we are in for a great game.
“That is exactly what we want as a group, to be tested against the best out there.”
Bulls: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 JT Jackson, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Hanro Liebenberg (c), 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Conrad van Vuuren, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Matthys Basson
Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 Hendre Stassen, 19 Jano Venter, 20 Theo Maree, 21 Tony Jantjies, 22 Earll Douwrie
Date: Friday, August 17
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19:00 (18:00 BST, 17:00 GMT)
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ben Crouse, Jaco Kotze
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe