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Don't forget Fourie, Fruean

Marco Botha

Cape Town - On Saturday the start of a softening up process starts prior to a possible meeting between the All Blacks and Springboks at the World Cup later this year.

That is how Crusaders outside centre Robbie Fruean views the midfield duel he and Sonny Bill Williams will be engaged in against Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers in the Super Rugby match against the Stormers at Newlands.

While the De Villiers-Williams showdown has been the focal point this week, it is easy to forget about Fruean and Fourie.

Fruean (22) on current form is arguably the best outside centre in the world - a mantle Fourie bestowed on himself in the past.

"I have been looking forward to this game since last year," Fruean told Sport24 on Thursday.

"Sonny and I are both inexperienced and are still learning. But we understand one another well and it's going well with us as a combination. We have not yet had the opportunity of measuring ourselves against Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith (the Hurricanes centre pairing).

"Jean and Jaque are now the measure. We only get that many opportunities to play against one another - Sonny and I want to get the upper hand over them before the World Cup. And they over us," added the powerful 110kg centre.

Williams has re-defined inside centre play this year with his contact skills. Fruean has benefited from his off-loads.

"Jaque also ran good lines last week and Jean is a very intelligent rugby player. It is therefore one of the biggest challenges of my life and the best centre duel you could get at the moment, I think.

"If Jaque considers himself the best centre in the word, it means that he believes in his abilities. For me it's an opportunity to take my game to the next level - the same applies to the Tri-Nations and the World Cup," said Fruean.

He doubts whether the Stormers will be focusing as much on the centre battle as the general rugby public.

"The Stormers probably know that a team consists of more than two players. And if they focus on me and Sonny Bill, our deadly back three will step forward," said Fruean.

"With the exception of a few tweaks we will stick to what has worked for us. If we keep attacking their line with pace, the opportunities will come."
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