Who will take centre stage in PE?

It doesn’t get much bigger than South Africa versus New Zealand on the rugby field, but Saturday in Port Elizabeth individual head-to-head battles may well steal the limelight.

While the All Blacks have yet to name their team, they are set to unleash the much-hyped Sonny Bill Williams on the Boks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – with All Blacks back coach Wayne Smith expecting “something hot” from the high-profile Rugby League convert.

However, he will be confronted by veteran Springbok midfielder Springbok centre Jean de Villiers, who himself have a reputation for doing “something special”.

Williams, despite an impressive Super Rugby season with the Crusaders, has played second fiddle to Ma’a Nonu in New Zealand’s earlier Tests.

Smith told a media gathering in Port Elizabeth it had been part of the plan to keep Williams on ice, as the 26-year-old needed to “freshen up” after the grueling Super Rugby season and a couple of low-key boxing matches.

“I think he is due a start,” Smith said, adding: “When he came into [the All Black] camp he was a bit jaded.

“I think we have given him enough time to hit his straps and I’m picking he will be pretty hot,” Smith.

However, his rival on Saturday – De Villiers  – felt the game will be about a lot more than just the Kiwis’ most talked about player.

“Yes, Sonny Bill played brilliantly during the Super Rugby tournament, but there’s also someone like Ma’a Nonu – who was brilliant in New Zealand’s last couple of Tests,” De Villiers said at the Boks’ media scrum in PE.

De Villiers may well have to change his tactics, as Richard Kahui is set to partner Williams in the All Black midfield – where they will encounter the seasoned Bok combination of De Villiers and Jaque Fourie.

Kahui, who has not appeared in a Test for more than a year, said he can’t wait to feed off Williams’ freakish off-loads.

“That’s certainly a nice possibility,” Kahui said.

Kahui, who has played most of his 11 Tests on the wing or with Ma’a Nonu on his inside, believes partnering Williams will be different.

“I have played a lot with Ma’a and I really enjoy his game. But I think Sonny has got something different, so it will probably change the way I play a bit,” he said.

“Obviously I’ve got to be sniffing around for the off-loads and things. I’ll be lurking off those big shoulders and it’s an exciting prospect.”

Smith said that he wanted to see Williams show the same kind of form the he showed with the All Blacks last year on the end of year trip to Europe.