14/05/2008 22:07

Stephen Nell

Cape Town - Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie have been centre partners in 14 Test matches. Now they are about to test each other to the limits in a Super 14 rugby battle.

Fourie, back in the Lions side after a long spell on the injury list, and Stormers captain De Villiers will mark each other in the big match at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Fourie's presence will bolster the Lions, who have been struggling without him and Springbok flyhalf André Pretorius.

De Villiers says Fourie is a world-class player. "He runs good lines and can organise the defence. He adds a lot of value to any team.

"In the Super 14 competition one plays against some of the best in the world. We've had some tough challenges this year and it will be the same this week," De Villiers said on Wednesday.

"Jaque and Walter Venter have played in only one match as a combination, but they did well last week. That was one of the reasons that they beat the Chiefs. We'll have to get the upper hand against them.

"None of us will give in. That's what rugby is about. Off the field we can be friends but on it you go out to reach your goals," De Villiers said.

Resume their international partnership

The partnership between De Villiers and Fourie was cut short when the Stormers captain was injured early in the World Cup tournament in France last year.

They played together in four Tests last year, in three in 2006 and in seven in 2005. They are likely to resume their international partnership this year.

Meanwhile, the Stormers will have to wait until after the match between the Blues and the Hurricanes on Friday to know whether they still have a chance of playing in a home semi-final.

Even if a Newlands playoff is out of reach they still have to try to qualify for a semi-final away from home.

At this stage they don't know whether they may play in Cape Town, Durban, Wellington, Christchurch, Sydney or even Auckland next week.

Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus also referred to the "aura" that a senior player such as Fourie can bring to a team when his team was announced on Wednesday.

However, veteran Springbok prop Ollie le Roux is not in the squad of 22 chosen to play the Lions even though a few changes have been made to the team that drew 13-all with the Waratahs last week.

The substitute prop is Brock Harris.

Pieter Myburgh will be on one flank in the starting lineup, and Luke Watson returns to No 8.

The team:

Conrad Jantjes, Wylie Human, Gcobani Bobo, Jean de Villiers (capt), Sireli Naqelevuki, Peter Grant, Ricky Januarie, Luke Watson, Francois Louw, Pieter Myburgh, Andries Bekker, Adriaan Fondse, Brian Mujati, Schalk Brits, Schalk Ferreira.

Substitutes: Deon Fourie, Brock Harris, Ross Skeate, Robbie Diack, Bolla Conradie, Tony Brown and Dylan des Fountain.