Chance to make their mark

Already ravaged by national demands, this year's watered-down Currie Cup, which starts on Friday, was diluted even further when injury supposedly put as many as 21 Springboks out of the away leg of the Tri-Nations.

The decision means the travelling Springboks will have to call on more fringe players than usual, while the knock-on effect will see the bigger unions (read Western Province, the Sharks and Blue Bulls) having to dig even deeper into their talent pool.

This, you'd think, would have the Lions' John Mitchell and the Cheetahs' Naka Drotske salivating at the notion that "when the cat's away ... " but they don't see the playing field as being levelled.

"I think it is a misconception," Lions coach Mitchell said. "Only 30 boys go to the World Cup. There will still be Springboks and former Springboks in all the top sides and they probably have more depth than we have. Besides, we've got a few injuries."

Drotske was quick to point to the Cheetahs' squad changes since the end of their Super Rugby campaign.

"We had seven players who were invited to the Springbok group and five have returned to Griquas."

Still, the Cheetahs have forged a reputation as capable of punching above their weight, which in part explains their well-developed rivalry with the Bulls, who are feeling the initial chill of the winds of change.

They not only have to come to grips with mass national team call-ups, they have a new coach in Pine Pienaar and have to appoint a captain to replace Victor Matfield.

"The captaincy issue I will address with the management team," said Pienaar, though Derick Kuun captained the side in a friendly two days ago.

" We have a few players left from the Super 15 who will provide good leadership.

"Obviously we are without some players, but that presents others who have done well at under-20 and Vodacom Cup level with an opportunity."

Drotske was also anxious to add to his captaincy options.

"Adriaan Strauss is our regular captain," he said. "We have to accept that Juan Smith will be in the Bok group but if Adriaan becomes available, he'll captain. We've also got Andries Strauss who can lead the team."

Like the Bulls, the Sharks have had to adopt a wait-and-see approach.

They were hoping to get Bok fringe players such as Alistair Hargreaves, Charl McLeod and Ryan Kankowski back from national duty for their opening match against the Blue Bulls on Saturday.

If they lose McLeod to the national cause, Frederic Michalak may be considered for the No9 jersey as Conrad Hoffman will be out for another month.

Vodacom Cup quarterfinalists Western Province's vaunted reserve strength will be put into sharp focus during the Currie Cup.

Their age-group structures are said to be sound, which makes a diluted Currie Cup the ideal stage to run the rule over what lies beneath.

Players such as Dewaldt Duvenage, Brok Harris, Wicus Blaauw and Rynhard Elstadt may have learned a lot from an extended Super Rugby campaign, but they will have to be managed well in the first few weeks of the competition.

The Lions, by contrast, are well rested. "We were outstanding physically in Super Rugby and had undergone a remarkable transformation from a year ago.

"We have improved our defence but we can improve it more," said Mitchell.

Pienaar faces something of a baptism of fire in the first month of the competition.

"We've got the Sharks away, the Cheetahs at home, Western Province at Newlands and the Lions at home.

"Those are pressure games but we'll take it as it comes. If you want to win the competition you have to raise the bar early," Pienaar said.