Victor Matfield will be back in action for the Bulls in the 2009 Super 14 © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Victor Matfield | John Smit

Teams: Bulls | Cheetahs | Lions | Sharks | South Africa | Stormers

SA Rugby has confirmed the squads for the five South African Super 14 sides as the competition gears up for another eventful season. The tournament kicks off next Friday with the Highlanders hosting the Brumbies in Dunedin before Western Force and the Blues go toe-to-toe in Perth.

The first South African involvement will come in Johannesburg as the Lions host the Cheetahs. Springbok skipper John Smit returns to Super 14 action for the Sharks after a spell with Clermont Auvergne while Victor Matfield returns at the helm of the Bulls.

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers has sounded a rallying cry for the players, saying that he will be keeping close tabs on the tournament as he prepares a squad to face the British and Irish Lions in June.

"The national selectors and I will be keeping a close watch on the performances of our teams and, in particular, those of the individual players who will form the nucleus of our squad to face the Lions," he said. "As usual, we expect the competition to provide a platform for players on the fringes of Springbok selection to stake their claims.

"This is an exceptional year for our rugby and we hope to match it with exceptional on-field performances."

Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks and Stormers squads for the 2009 Super 14:

Bulls: Heini Adams, Bakkies Botha, Jacques Burger, Marius Delport, Fourie du Preez, Jaco Engels, Burton Francis, Rayno Gerber, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Wayne Julies, Zane Kirchner, Werner Kruger, Derick Kuün, Bandise Maku, Tiger Mangweni, Victor Matfield, Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Dewald Potgieter, Jaco Pretorius, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, Pierre Spies, Gürthro Steenkamp, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Deon Stegmann, Morné Steyn, Pedrie Wannenburg.

Lions: Cobus Grobbelaar, Doppies La Grange, Jano Vermaak, Louis Ludik, Heinke Van Der Merwe, Jaque Fourie, Franco Van Der Merwe, Earl Rose, Anton Van Zyl, Willie Wepener, Jannie Boshoff, Willem Alberts, JC Janse Van Rensburg , Gert Muller, Henno Mentz, Ashwin Willemse, Michael Killian, Jannes Labuschagne, Chris Jonck, Van Dyk, Shandre Frolick, Todd Clever, Siegelaar Allister, Lawrence Sephaka, Dusty Noble, Thiliphaut Marole, Ligtoring Landman ,Okkie Kruger, Divan Kotze, Barry Goodes

Cheetahs: Hennie Daniller; Danwel Demas, Corné Uys, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Fabian Juries; Meyer Bosman, Tewis de Bruyn; Frans Viljoen, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brüssow, David de Villiers, Nico Breedt, Kobus Calldo, Adriaan Strauss, Wian du Preez, Richardt Strauss, Wayne van Heerden, Hendro Scholtz, Sarel Pretorius, Bjorn Basson, Kabamba Floors, Trompie Nontshinga, Piet van Zyl, Riaan Viljoen , Jean Botha, Flip van Der Merwe, Bees Roux, Jonge Nokwe, Bevin Fortuin, Hanno Coetzee.

Sharks: Skipper Badenhorst, Nikolai Blignaut, Jacques Botes, Deon Carstens, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Bismarck Du Plessis, Jannie Du Plessis, Alistair Hargreaves,, Ryan Kankowski, Beast Mtawarira, Johann Muller, Skholiwe Ndlovu, John Smit, Steven Sykes, Albert Van Den Berg, Monty Dumond, Adrian Jacobs, Chris Jordaan, Rory Kockott, Waylon Murray, Odwa Ndungane, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Francois Steyn, Riaan Swanepoel, Stefan Terblanche, Lionel Cronje, Justin Downey, Luzuko Vulindlu

Stormers: Andries Bekker, Wikus Blaauw Gcobani Bobo, Schalk Brits, Schalk Burger, Tonderai Chavhanga, Bolla Conradie, Jean de Villiers, Dylan Des Fountain Dewaldt Duvenhage, Schalk Ferreira, Adriaan Fondse, Deon Fourie Peter Grant, Conrad Jantjes, Ricky Januarie, Francois Louw, JD Moller, Brian Mujati, Pieter Myburgh, Sireli Naqelevuki, Morgan Newman , Luke Watson, Percy Montgomery, Kick Koster, JC Kritzinger, Hilton Lobberts, Joe Pietersen, AJ Venter, Duanne Vermeulen.