The competition kicks off with two mini-tournaments involving

four teams each at Tuks' LC de Villiers Stadium and the Nelson

Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) respectively.

    Matches against two Russian sides on Wednesday, as well as a

four-chukka practice game against the Shimlas in Bloemfontein on

Friday and then two matches next week against the SWD Eagles - last 

year's losing finalists in the Currie Cup First Division - will

ensure Tukkies coach Freddie Grobler, will know exactly what his

best combinations are come the first round.

    "These warm-up matches will be followed by a week's training at 

home before we play NWU-Pukke," said Grobler, who has a few gains - 

but unavoidably also a number of losses - from last year's side

that somehow just didn't gel well enough to seriously challenge for 

honours despite a semi-final place.

    "It's imperative that we start better this year," Grobler said.

   Tukkies again play the very strong NWU-Pukke in their first

match. This time, however, it will be in Pretoria - and Tukkies

will at least be able to play their evening matches at home after

their flood lights have been upgraded sufficiently for TV purposes.

    Pukke last year lost a tough final at Coetzenburg against the

Maties who retained the title they won in the first year of the

competition in 2008, and also outscored Hamiltons by six tries to

three when they went down in the national club championships final.

    Pukke are a class act - but they have lost their inspirational

and longstanding captain Willem van de Wal, who has moved to

Johannesburg.

    "Of course we'll miss him," said coach Rudy Joubert. "It's

never easy when you lose you're captain. But I'm confident.

    "We've had a good pre-season training period, and although

there are a few niggles we have looked good in our training this

year.

    "There are a few gains, and we'll start getting closer to the

final squad after our trials this weekend. We end of with a

practice game against the Leopards on January 23." 

   The University of Johannesburg (UJ) have some exciting newcomers 

and also a nucleus of the side that never really fired last season, 

but put up some outstanding performances.

    "We've been working hard," said coach Hugo van As. With UJ

again fielding what Van As calls a semi-professional side, the

Johannesburg outfit simply has to start off well. 

   They will have a practice run against the Shimlas in Kroonstad

to fine-tune.

   UJ play Tshwane University for Technology (TUT) in the first

round and then return to LC de Villiers to play Tukkies the

following week. 

   It won't be easy to win both encounters - and they desperately

need to collect more than the two bonus points of last year with

only TUT having a worse record in this respect.

    TUT, won't be the walkover they were last year when they were

winless in the competition, vows their coach Jimmy Watt.

    "We were poor in the Varsity Cup but picked up some momentum

thereafter and played some good rugby in the Carlton Cup." 

   Good enough, he may have added, to make the semi-finals of the

Carlton Cup after a good run towards the end.

    "Our preparation has been better. We've got some exciting new

youngsters, from the Bulls and elsewhere, to bolster the existing

squad and things are looking up. 

   "I'm confident the guys will build on our momentum towards the

end of the last season.

    The first-round matches on February 1 are: 

   At LC de Villiers: TUT v UJ, Tuks v NWU-Pukke 

   At NMMU: Shimlas v UCT, NMMU v Maties