Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby match between the Sharks and the Bulls at Jonsson Kings Park.

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Lukhanyo Am will lead an exciting Sharks team in which Ox Nche, James Venter and Sikhumbuzo Notshe all make their club debuts.

The home team have a Springbok laden backline consisting of Springbok World Cup winners Makazole Mapimpi (left wing), Sbu Nkosi (right wing) and Am (outside centre), as well as fellow Springboks Andre Esterhuizen (inside centre) and Curwin Bosch (flyhalf).

The Bulls include former Springbok fly-half Morné Steyn, who last played for the Pretoria outfit in 2013 and is the only three-time Super Rugby champion that remains within the South African circuit. His duel with Bosch is bound to play a key role.

(Continue reading below…)

Bulls’ Tongan import Nafi Tuitavake speaks out

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Steyn is joined by two 2019 World Cup winners in Warrick Gelant (full-back) and Trevor Nyakane (replacement prop), while Josh Strauss (No8), Jeandre Rudolph (flank), Andries Ferreira (lock) and Wian Vosloo (replacement loose forward) will be running out for the Bulls for the first time.

History favours the visitors with the Bulls securing eight wins and a draw in their last nine matches against the Durban-based franchise, who begin their campaign at home for the first time since 2015. 

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The Pretoria side won five of their six South African derbies last season, their most derby victories in a single campaign since 2013.

SHARKS: 15. Aphelele Fassi; 14. Sbu Nkosi, 13. Lukhanyo Am (capt), 12. Andre Esterhuizen, 11. Makazole Mapimpi; 10. Curwin Bosch, 9. Louis Schreuder; 8. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7. Tyler Paul, 6. James Venter, 5. Hyron Andrews, 4. Ruben van Heerden, 3. Thomas du Toit, 2. Kerron van Vuuren, 1. Ox Nche. Reps: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Juan Schoeman, 18. John-Hubert Meyer, 19. Le Roux Roets, 20. Henco Venter, 21. Sanele Nohamba, 22. Boeta Chamberlain, 23. Jeremy Ward.

BULLS: 15. Warrick Gelant; 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. Johnny Kotze, 12. Burger Odendaal (capt), 11. Rosko Specman; 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Ivan van Zyl; 8. Josh Strauss, 7. Abongile Nonkontwana, 6. Jeandre Rudolph, 5. Juandre Kruger, 4. Andries Ferreira, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Jaco Visagie, 1. Lizo Gqoboka. Reps: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Trevor Nyakane, 19. Ruan Nortje, 20. Ryno Pieterse, 21. Wian Vosloo, 22. Embrose Papier, 23. Manie Libbok.

WATCH: New-look Sharks front up to media ahead of the clash with the Bulls

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