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Bulls host Sharks in opener

Johannesburg - The Bulls and the Sharks will clash at Loftus Versfeld on the opening day of next year's Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

The draw for the tournament was announced by SANZAR on Friday.

Apart from the repeat match of the 2007 final on February 24, the Lions face the Cheetahs at Ellis Park the following day in another SA derby clash on the opening weekend.

The Stormers, semi-finalists this year, start their campaign against the Hurricanes at Newlands.

The Cheetahs will be the first South African team to tour, when they leave after their second-round match against the Bulls in Bloemfontein.

SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said the draw was the culmination of months of liaising between the 15 franchises, the three host broadcasters, venue owners and other stakeholders.

"When you play a competition over three geographical territories separated by the Indian Ocean, preparing the draw is always going to be challenging," Peters said.

"We wanted to ensure that the 2012 competition started with some key match-ups in each territory.

"As was the case in 2011, the first few rounds of play will feature a majority of local derbies before most teams begin travelling from week three onwards."

The season will run to June 2, after which there will be a three-week break for international matches, and will resume on June 29, with three rounds remaining before the playoffs.

The penultimate round will be held over three weeks and the final will be played on August 4.

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