Cape Town. - SA Rugby has confirmed the official Vodacom Super 14 squads for the 2009 season. The Sanzar competition starts next Friday evening when the Highlanders entertain the Brumbies at Dunedin, followed by the Western Force versus Blues clash in Perth.

In South Africa, the Auto & General Lions host the Vodacom Cheetahs on the same day (19h10 local time) at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg.

Andy Marinos, the SA Rugby acting MD, said he was excited by the quality of players in each of the franchise squads: "All the squads have some promising and exciting youngsters, while there is also a welcome return to Super rugby action for a number of very experienced players who for various reasons did not feature in the 2007 competition.

"The squads are all very balanced and we are looking forward to another exciting Vodacom Super 14 competition," said Marinos.

Springbok captain John Smit and fellow World Cup winner Victor Matfield are amongst the most noticeable players who have returned to their franchises to play in the Vodacom Super 14 competition. Smit is back in the colours of The Sharks while Matfield will lead the charge again for the Pretoria-based Vodacom Bulls.

Both players returned to South Africa last year after a brief spell of club rugby in France.

According to Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, this year's Vodacom Super 14 takes on added importance because of the eagerly awaited visit to South Africa by the British and Irish Lions.

"The national selectors and I will therefore 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. 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. A tough four months lies ahead and I would like to wish the five SA teams a successful and rewarding Vodacom Super 14 campaign," said De Villiers.
Please find attached the official South African franchise squads.

Some players were not registered on account of injury, rehabilitation or conditioning. However, they can be registered (if so chosen by their franchises) on return to full fitness.

These players are:

Vodacom Cheetahs
JW Jonker, Coenie Oosthuizen, Wilton Pietersen

Xerox Lions
Ross Geldenhuys, Ernest Joubert, Jannes Labuschagne, Derick Minnie, Gerhard Mostert, Andries Pretorius, Ethienne Reynecke, Jody Rose, Dewald Senekal, Justin St Jerry, Louis Strydom, Johan van Deventer, Walter Venter, Justin Wheeler

The Sharks
Pat Cilliers, Waylon Murray, Ulrich Potgieter, Albert van den Berg

Vodacom Stormers
Willem de Waal, Brok Harris

FINAL SOUTH AFRICAN VODACOM SUPER 14 SQUADS as on 6.2.2009

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

Vodacom-Cheetahs: Bjorn Basson, Meyer Bosman, Nico Breedt, Heinrich Brüssow, Cobus Calldo, Hanno Coetzee, Hennie Daniller, Tewis de Bruyn, Danwell Demas, David De Villiers, Wian du Preez, Kabamba Floors, Bevin Fortuin, Fabien Juries, Jongi Nokwe, Trompie Nont?shinga, Jaqcues-Louis Potgieter, Sarel Pretorius, Bees Roux, Hendro Scholtz, Juan Smith, Adriaan Strauss, Richardt Strauss, Corné Uys, Flip van der Merwe, Wayne van Heerden, Piet van Zyl, Frans Viljoen, Riaan Viljoen.

Lions: Willem Alberts, Jannie Boshoff, Todd Clever, Jaque Fourie, Shandre Frolick, Barry Goodes, Cobus Grobbelaar, JC Janse van Rensburg, Chris Jonck, Michael Killian, Divan Kotzé, Robert Kruger, Doppies la Grange, Rynard Landman, Louis Ludik, Henno Mentz, Thulophato Marole, Gert Muller, Dusty Noble, Earl Rose, Lawrence Sephaka, Alastair Siegelaar, Franco van der Merwe, Heinke van der Merwe, Hans van Dyk, Andries van Rensburg, Anton van Zyl, Jano Vermaak, Willie Wepener, Ashwin Willemse.

Sharks: Skipper Badenhorst, Nikolai Blignaut, Jacques Botes, Deon Carstens, Ross Cronjé, Keegan Da?niel, Jean Deysel, Justin Downey, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Monty Dumond, Alistair Hargreaves, Adrian Jacobs, Chris Jordaan, Ryan Kankowski, Rory Kockott, Tendai Mtawarira, Johann Muller, Waylon Murray, Shikoliwe Ndlovu, Odwa Ndungane, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, John Smit, Frans Steyn, Riaan Swanepoel, Steven Sykes, Stefan Terblanche, Albert van den Berg, Luzoko Vulindlu.

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