NEWPORT Gwent Dragons captain Jason Forster goes head to head tomorrow with the player generally regarded as Wales' number one openside flanker.
The clash between Forster and Martyn Williams is just one of the personal duels which will highlight the Celtic League derby clash at the Arms Park.
Williams is the player in possession in terms of the Six Nations Championship, but he was not taken on the summer tour to Argentina and South Africa, instead being told to stay behind in order to 'bulk-up.'
Forster went instead and made his long awaited Wales debut in the first Test against South Africa. But then he was omitted because his former Dragons coach, Mike Ruddock, decided to go for a bigger back row in the remaining two games.
That left Forster bitterly disappointed and even if leading the Dragons to victory tomorrow is his main priority, he has a point to prove on the international front too.
All Forster asks for is a fair deal. "I'd like to think form will decide it. Obviously Martyn is a class act who has earned his reputation and I've got the utmost respect for him," he said.
"We're in competition, I'll play my game and hopefully come out on top. Obviously I was disappointed in the second Test in Argentina. I thought I played well enough to keep my place, but they wanted a different combination.
"You've just got to dust yourself down and come back, but I certainly want to add to my caps."
Williams also pays credit to Forster. "I've played against him umpteen times, he's a class player and it's always a tough game when you play against him," he said.
Forster admits teams will be lying in wait for the Dragons this season after what they achieved last year.
"We've made a rod for our own backs, but we've got to rise to the next level," he said. "Who would have believed at the start of the season we could have won the league?
"It gave us that invincible feeling and with the guys added to the squad we've got that inner belief we're going to do well.
"There's no reason why we can't do the same again this season, but we've got to be more ruthless.
"If there was one weakness it was that we tended to take our foot off the pedal, but now we've got the backline we haven't had for a few years with finishers of the best quality."
Williams will lead a Cardiff side showing five changes from their disappointing draw against a below strength Leinster side. The Robinson brothers, Jamie and Nicky, are both injured.
Team: R Williams, J Vaughton, T Shanklin, T Davies, C Morgan, L Thomas, R Smith, G Jenkins, G Williams, B Evans, C Quinnell, R Sidoli, N Thomas, K Schubert, M Williams (captain). Kick-off 5.30pm.
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