The Tahs starting side for their opening round game on Saturday contains six players older than 29 or over.

Two others, Wallabies backs Nick Phipps and playmaker Kurtley Beale, are injured and rested respectively..

The new centre pairing of Adam Ashley-Cooper (33) and Karmichael Hunt (32), and prop Sekope Kepu (33), are joined in the run-on side by hooker Damien Fitzgerald, lock Rob Simmons and fullback Israel Folau - all 29.

Kepu, who brought up 100 Test caps last year, is one of a handful of the run on side from the 2014 final win, who will start Saturday's match against the Hurricanes at Sydney's Brookvale Oval.

The Tahs made the semi-finals in 2018 and Kepu believes this year's group have the potential to match the feats of the triumphant 2014 squad.

"Definitely, we've got the over 28s, as we put it the other day, there's a whole heap of of us," Kepu said.

"There's a lot of experience there and we've got Adam Ashley-Cooper that's come back, Karmichael has been added to the group and there's a wealth of experience there, not to mention the guys that are already there.

"We've got a good balance of youth and older guys."

Kepu apart, the one area of the Tahs squad lacking experience is the props.

With Wallaby Tom Robertson out unto April with a knee injury, 21-year-old second season Tah Harry Johnson-Holmes will start in the front row alongside Kepu on Saturday.

'I believe he's up for a breakthrough season, he's got an opportunity to prove himself as a starting player for the next few weeks," Kepu said.

The two bench props, Rory O''Connor and Chris Talakai have yet to play Super Rugby.

Kepu has enjoyed a much happier start to the year than he did last season when he missed the Waratahs first four matches.

"Last year was a massive learning curve, two calf strains and a hammy this time last year," he said.

Australian Associated Press