The defending Currie Cup champions have opted to rest several of their star players following a gruelling SA Cup campaign that ended in heartbreak. The Peacock Blues fell agonisingly short against the Airlink Pumas, going down 38-35 after extra time in a pulsating final. 

Pretorius, who hails from Bloemfontein, featured predominantly off the bench during the SA Cup, but this week he will lead from the front as he packs down in the second row alongside Lungisile Mbiko.

Carel van der Merwe. Photo: Morgan Piek

Coach Pieter Bergh has named five debutants in his match-day 23, with two earning starting berths and three set to make their first appearances from the bench. Varsity Cup-winning University of Pretoria Tuks No 8 Dillon Smith will make his debut at the back of the scrum, while former Hoërskool Diamantveld standout Simon Liversage starts at inside centre alongside Tom Nel.

Zinedine Robinson gets the nod at fly-half and will form the halfback partnership with scrumhalf Jack Hart.

In the front row, UCT Ikeys Varsity Cup star Keagan Blanckenberg has been handed the starting hooker jersey.

Among the replacements, Mhleli Khuzwayo, Ulrich van der Westhuizen and Cephas van Biljon are all in line to make their debuts for the Peacock Blues.

Pretorius told OFM Sport that losing the SA Cup final at home was certainly not how the team had envisioned ending the campaign, but believes the Toyota Challenge provides the perfect platform to regroup, rebuild confidence and further strengthen their squad depth ahead of their Currie Cup title defence.

“Ja, no, definitely. It’s not how we would have wanted to finish the SA Cup,” said Pretorius. “We would obviously have liked to win it and go into the Toyota Challenge with confidence, but it didn’t work out that way. We’ve had to move on and learn from it.

Cameron Hufke. Photo: Morgan Piek

“The Toyota Challenge is a great opportunity for guys who perhaps didn’t get a lot of game time in the SA Cup. We can give some of the players a bit of a rest and continue building towards the Currie Cup.

“I think it’s going to be exciting to play against teams we haven’t faced before. And later in the year, after the Currie Cup, we could possibly travel there as well. It’s definitely something we’re looking forward to.

“It’s a great challenge, and we’ll take it as it comes, but I think everyone is excited and ready to work hard for what lies ahead.”

Vlam Oosthuizen. Photo: Morgan Piek

Meanwhile, the Romania A side features several South Africans, including Nicolaas Immelman, who played his junior rugby for Griquas and, like Pretorius, is a proud product of Grey College in Bloemfontein.

Friday's encounter between the Griquas and Romania A at the Toyota Stadium kicks off at 15:30.

Griquas - 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Connor Mahoney, 13 Tom Nel, 12 Simon Liversage, 11 Sako Makata, 10 Zinedine Robinson, 9 Jack Hart, 8 Dillon Smith, 7 Carel van der Merwe, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Derik Pretorius (captain), 4 Lungisile Mbiko, 3 Moango Ngundue, 2 Keagan Blanckenberg, 1 Leon Lyons

Replacements - 16 Janco Uys, 17 Mhleli Khuzwayo, 18 Johan Louw, 19 Ulrich van der Westhuizen, 20 Cephas van Biljon, 21 Caleb Abrahams, 22 Liam Koen, 23 Zane Bester

Romania A touring squad - Iulian Hartig, Eduard Matei, Cosmin Manole, JP Smith, Costel Gramada, Robert Irimescu, Sebastian Vasilovici, Adrian Tala, Nicolaas Immelman, Logan Weidner, Yanis Horvat, David Trausan, Matthew Tweddle, Mihai Popescu, Etienne Terblanche, Vlad Neculau, Eduard Cioroaba, Alin Conache, Jondre Williams, Daniel Plai, Hinckley Vaovasa, Tevita Manumua, Tiqe Iliesa, Damian Bonaparte, Jason Tomane, Mihai Graure, Dylan Schwartz, Serge Le Mezec, Toni Maftei, Ovidiu Neagu

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek  mvh