Excitement levels dropped a notch with outside backs Rene Ranger and Rudi Wulf off the rugby scene late last season.
Wulf was finishing up a contract with Toulon while Ranger had to recuperate from a kidney lacerated in a freak accident in the national provincial championship.
But the pair have returned with extra zip in their rugby kitbags for this year as they look to pep up the Blues and add to their stalled test rugby collections.
Wulf has been picked tonight on the left wing where he made his test debut against England in 2008 and Ranger is the strikeforce at centre.
"Before I left, I was mainly on the wing for the Blues and playing with Isaia Toeava too so it is just like reviving old memories," Wulf said.