Waratahs' debutant Cam Jowitt is preparing to lock horns with a couple of old mates in a potentially fiery Super rugby baptism against Queensland.

New Zealander Jowitt, 26, is one of four debutants in the Waratahs' run on side to face the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

Capable of playing either in the second or back rows, the strapping 201cm forward will form a new Waratahs' lock combination with Will Caldwell.

Jowitt didn't run on Thursday as he jarred his heel the day before, but NSW coach Chris Hickey expected him to be right to play.

Hickey said Jowitt had won a starting spot because of the experience he had gained overseas.

A product of Auckland rugby, Jowitt was unable to break into the Blues' squad, then amassed 57 appearances in four seasons at reigning European Cup champion Leinster before moving to NSW.

Jowitt has hardly had time to buy into the age-old rivalry between NSW and Queensland and besides is well acquainted with two members of the Reds' pack.

"I've got a couple of mates in that team, I went to school with (All Blacks flanker) Daniel Braid and I played with (lock) Adam Byrnes over in Leinster."

Jowitt said he hadn't engaged in any text messaging with Byrnes this week, but was expecting the noted Queensland firebrand would try and wind him up on the night.

"I'm sure he will try and give me a bit of niggle, but I would take it, it will be good to play him," Jowitt said of Byrnes.

"He's a big guy, he will be doing the line-out and be aggressive around the ruck, it will be a good contest."

Jowitt said he had learnt from watching two former Waratahs, Chris Whittaker and Rocky Elsom, during his time in Ireland with Leinster.

"I learnt a lot from 'Whits', he is the ultimate professional, I reckon, just the way he trains and everything," Jowitt said.

"Rocky has got an awesome game, so it was great watching him, he was so good for Leinster, he was probably our best player last year, so I learnt a lot from watching him."

Although qualified to play for the Wallabies through an Australian-born grandmother, Jowitt stressed he was just concentrating on Super rugby.

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