Former Springbok wing McNeil Hendricks will make his comeback to Super 12 rugby on Friday night after he was included in the Bulls starting line-up for the opening game against the Sharks in Durban.

Hendricks and exciting Free State Cheetahs speedster Friedrich Lombard are the wings, which means Marius Goosen has to be content with a place on the substitutes' bench. Hendricks injured his shoulder seriously in the Tri-Nations game against Australia in 1999 and has battled to regain his best form since returning.

Last year, however, the powerful winger was back to his barnstorming best and scored some great tries for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and Vodacom competitions. The knee injury to first-choice wing Gavin Passens opened up the way for Hendricks' inclusion.

Johan Wasserman gets the nod at flank ahead of Pierre Uys, who mounted a spirited challenge on the recent tour of Fiji. No 8 Anton Leonard and hooker Naka Drotske were both included in the starting line-up after being left out of the original 30-man squad named by coach Phil Pretorius.

Experienced Springboks Boeta Wessels and Franco Smith will form the all-important flyhalf-inside centre axis, with Danie van Schalkwyk edging out rising star Adrian Jacobs at outside centre.

Bulls: Casper Steyn; McNeil Hendricks, Danie van Schalkwyk, Franco Smith, Friedrich Lombard; Boeta Wessels, Joost van der Westhuizen (capt); Anton Leonard, Johan Wasserman, Nicky van der Walt, Victor Matfield, Braam Els, Johan Human, Naka Drotske, Frikkie Bosman. Substitutes: Jannie Brooks, Günder Williamson, Ralf Schroeder, Pierre Uys, Hakkies Husselman, Adrian Jacobs, Marius Goosen.