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Cape Town - Proteas opening batsman Dean Elgar and South African-born New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner are looking to renew their 'heated' schoolboy rivalry ahead of the opening Test match in Dunedin.
Wagner, 30, was born in Pretoria and went to Afrikaans Boys' High - the same school as Proteas skippers AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.
Wagner started his first-class career for the Northerns amateur side before moving to New Zealand at the age of 21.
Elgar, who went to St Dominic's College in Welkom, faced Wagner in a provincial clash between Free State and Northerns.
Elgar reminisced over their schoolboy 'rivalry' ahead of the first Test between New Zealand and South Africa.
"At school we had a few battles," Elgar told the media on Monday.
"It used to be pretty feisty, but it was heated and all in good spirit.
"He (Wagner) seems to be a person who has come on leaps and bounds for New Zealand cricket and also seems like he is leading the bowling attack with regards to aggression, which is great to see - a bit of South African mentality."
Wagner was doubtful for the three-Test series after fracturing a finger in his bowling hand in a domestic match, but was deemed fit to take on his native country.
"It's nice to see him fit again," said Elgar.
"We know it's going to be a tough task even with the other two seamers."
Wagner on the other hand eluded to the battle saying that the two cricketers 'hated' playing against each other.
"We've had a lot of battles on the field as young boys... we hated playing against each other," Wagner told the media on Monday, as quoted by Reuters.
The first Test gets underway in Dunedin on Tuesday (23:30 SA time).
Teams:
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain) Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Tom Latham, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Jeetan Patel, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling
South Africa
Faf du Plessis (captain, Titans), Stephen Cook (Highveld Lions), Dean Elgar (Titans), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (Highveld Lions), Quinton de Kock (Titans), Vernon Philander (Cape Cobras), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Wayne Parnell (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (Highveld Lions), Duanne Olivier (Knights), Theunis de Bruyn (Knights), Heinrich Klaasen (Titans), Morne Morkel (Titans), Chris Morris (Titans)
