South Africa's standout Super 14 rugby side the Sharks have handed former halfback Ruan Pienaar the task of steering them to a maiden title.
The Sharks loom as the best prospects of the five South African teams, having built a depth-laden squad which this year has New Zealandcoach John Plumtree promoted to the helm.
Plumtree succeeds Dick Muir and one of his first decisions was to appoint Pienaar his first-choice first five-eighth in place of departed Frenchman Frederic Michalak.
One place out will be the versatile Francois Steyn, suggesting Plumtree wants the country's two leading playmakers alongside each other and close to the action.
It may make all the difference for a Sharks side who hosted the final in 2007 - losing to the Bulls - and lost a semifinal away to the New South Wales Waratahs last year.
That was a disappointing return for the progressive Durban union but they have since had their confidence invigorated by a domestic Currie Cup triumph.
Also, Springboks captain John Smit is back after a dalliance in Europe last year, although he is likely to spend much of his time at prop, with the dynamic Bismarck du Plessis making the hooker berth his own.
A week of training under Australian rugby league great Andrew Johns will only have improved the skill level of a team who have few obvious weaknesses and numerous match-winners.
Like the Sharks, the Stormers have adopted a more expansive style than the traditional South African model, employing it brilliantly as they surged to a fifth-placed finish last year.
Pace out wide, a swarming pack and a world class duo - flanker Schalk Burger and second five-eighth Jean de Villiers - mean no one can take Rassie Erasmus's men lightly.
The Bulls retained their forward-first mentality last season and were trumped by the new laws, slumping from champions to 10th place.
Their squad has barely changed aside from the return of talismanic captain and lock Victor Matfield.
It seems there is no way out of the chasm for the other high veldt sides, the Cheetahs and Lions, who filled positions 13 and 14 respectively last year.
