Super 12 2002 kicks off with a bang on Friday night when the Stormers and Sharks renew their rivalry at the Absa Stadium in Durban.

Both sides are severely decimated by injuries to key players, with the Stormers hit the heaviest. That, however, shouldn't detract from what promises to be another fierce battle between what is basically last year's Currie Cup finalists.

The Sharks this week suffered a heavy blow when inside centre Trevor Halstead had to withdraw from the match due to a knee injury. According to coach Rudolf Straeuli, he could be out between two and four weeks. Deon Kayser will also miss the game due to a groin injury.

Also out are flankers Charl van Rensburg (AC Joint injury) and Nicky van der Walt (hamstring), and hooker John Smit (ankle). Hard-tackling flyhalf Butch James will miss the entire season following off-season surgery.

The Stormers, however, boast an even more impressive injury list, with Springboks Robbie Kempson (prop), Bob Skinstad (No 8), Toks van de Linde (prop), Neil de Kock (scrumhalf), Chris Rossouw (flyhalf), Robbie Fleck (centre) and Breyton Paulse (wing) out for various durations.

Kempson and Van der Linde are the most serious and are sidelined for the entire tournament.

The Sharks have impressed during the pre-season with wins against the Cats (39-25) and London club Harlequins (31-13). The Stormers were on fire against the Renegades, the "fifth Super 12 side", but sneaked a last-gasp victory against perennial strugglers the Bulls.

New Stormers coach Gert Smal sees this game as the start of a new era. "It's a new team with players coming in.

"There are six players with no Super 12 experience and about seven or eight with little experience, so it's going to be a huge challenge for them as well as the coaching staff to get settled into a very competitive unit as quickly as possible. You won't get a bigger game than what we're getting on Friday."

On Wednesday Smal was still undecided about his goalkicker. "They had a session this morning and we will have another session on Friday or Thursday night before we play. We will assess them then and make a decision."

The coach said Marius Goosen (pictured), Percy Montgomery and Werner Greeff are in line for the job. "Braam van Straaten worked a lot with Werner last year and he can also kick. Then (reserve scrumhalf) Noel Oelshig is another option as he kicked for the SWD Eagles last year."

Matches between the Sharks and the Stormers are always fought out in the trenches, and Smal expects nothing different this time around. "They might come with one or two new things, but I think we know what to expect.

"It's going to be a very physical game and we have to be at our very best, especially in the tight phases, to be able to do what we want to do and to stop their momentum, because they are in effect a momentum side. If they get momentum they are very dangerous."

Straeuli said it is important for his team to forget about last year, when they - against all odds - reached the final of the Super 12.

"I am very excited, because it's the start of a new competition with new challenges. We must forget about last year and focus on this year's competition as it is important to pick up the points in your first game.

"We are well prepared and had three good warm-up games, but it's what happens during the competition that counts. We are going overseas after this game, so we need to win it," the man who is widely favoured to become the new Springbok coach said.

About the lack of needle in the buildup to this game, Straeuli commented that the new spirit of cooperation between the four Super 12 coaches has contributed to it. "I don't think it is a good thing to start with a local derby - we should have played the overseas teams first, but I don't expect anything untoward to happen in the games.

"The regions are working well together and we played warm-up games against each other, so all the bad feeling of last year is gone. The games will obviously be fiercely contested as it is important for all of us to do well, but I expect it to be played in a good spirit."

He doesn't think Western Province's Currie Cup victory of last year would give them the psychological edge. "No, we are on the same footing, both are making a fresh start to a different competition. They've won the Currie Cup, but that doesn't come into the equation on Friday night."

The big question mark for the Sharks will be how Gaffie du Toit performs at flyhalf as the replacement for James. He had a poor season there in 2000, but showed he has plenty of class when he played at fullback in 2001.

The Sharks have four away games following this opening encounter against the Stormers and if they can come through the trip unscathed, they will be well placed to repeat last season's effort of making the final.

The table is level at two-all between the Sharks and Stormers and like any South African derby is sure to be a rough and tumble affair. But it's tough to see how the Stormers can hit the ground running with such top talent out injured at this early stage.

Teams for Absa Stadium:

Stormers: Marius Goosen, Percy Montgomery, Marius Joubert, De Wet Barry, Pieter Rossouw (v-capt), Werner Greeff, Johannes Conradie, Adri Badenhorst, Hendrik Gerber, Corné Krige (capt), Hottie Louw, Quinton Davids, Cobus Visagie, Pieter Dixon, Daan Human. Substitutes: Tjoepie van den Heever, Faan Rautenbach, Thys Stoltz, Pietie Ferreira, Noël Oelshig, Wayne Julies, Jeffrey Stevens.

Sharks: Ricardo Loubscher, Stefan Terblanche, Werner Gey van Pittius, Andre Snyman, Thinus Delport, Gaffie du Toit, Craig Davidson, Shaun Sowerby, AJ Venter, Warren Britz, Albert van den Berg, Mark Andrews (capt), Etienne Fynn, Lukas van Biljon, Ollie le Roux. Substitutes: Roger Smith, Herkie Kruger, Chad Alcock, Wayne van Heerden, Philip Smit, Deon Carstens, Eduard Coetzee.

Referee: Andre Watson (Sarfu).

Kick-off: 19:10.