Skipper de Villiers relishing battle with Earls

South African captain Jean de Villiers is relishing the prospect of facing former Munster colleague Keith Earls at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

De Villiers played the 2009/10 season with the Irish province and partnered Earls in the centre on five occasions, including a Heineken Cup quarter-final win over Northampton Saints.

With Brian O’Driscoll’s ankle injury ruling him out until January, it looks likely that Earls could line-up at outside centre against the Springboks this weekend.