Bok defence is the bastion to be surmounted

All Black wing Joe Rokocoko signs an autograph during the captain's run at Carisbrook yesterday. Picture / Fotopress

The All Blacks worked out how to beat the Springboks' rush defence after their initial encounter last season in Christchurch.

But two subsequent meetings have not produced a consistent solution. The theory was fine, said assistant coach Wayne Smith, the practice was the tough part and more complex than many assumed.

After squeaking to a 23-21 final-minute victory through Doug Howlett's try last year, the All Blacks were beaten 40-26 at Ellis Park and again this year 22-16 at Newlands.

In all three matches New Zealand struggled to break free of the fish-hook, up and in, rush-style defence which has been masterminded by new coach Jake White. As he explained it, rugby would be boring if everyone played the same and emulated each other.

He had deliberately made the Springbok defence a point of difference and it was a method which suited their obdurate temperament.

The success of the system and the opposition reaction has been one of the fascinations of the last two Tri-Nations series as South Africa's revival has breathed further venom into the competition.

So how do the All Blacks counter South Africa's suffocating defence?

FROM FIRST RECEIVER

* First five-eighths, in tonight's case Leon MacDonald, should bomb the Bok back three from the start and probably more from scrums because the backlines will be on top of each other. He has to get the Springboks to hesitate in the blocks, to sit them on their heels and turn them.

* The array of kicks can be varied but perhaps some grubbers, which are harder to regather or attack from than chip kicks.

* Running plays can be used more from lineouts where the backlines are kept apart. Watch for Richie McCaw blocking Schalk Burger (in far left of frames 1 and 2) off the back of the lineout to take him out of the game. Second-man plays with Joe Rokocoko or Rico Gear coming in from their blindside wings could be tried or skip passes to Tana Umaga at centre to crack the advantage line.

FROM SECOND RECEIVER

* Aaron Mauger (right) has to make the big calls. He will be the lookout, the scout, the instructive voice for MacDonald while he is receiving the ball.

* Courage to use the width of the field remains the key, like the phases and then the long pass Jerry Collins threw to Rico Gear who had oodles of space to touch down at Cape Town.

* Dummy cuts in midfield, running players back into traffic often is blindfold stuff for the Boks.

FROM THE BREAKDOWN

* Attack down the blindside more.

* The Wallabies had some success down the centre of the ruck last week and if the All Blacks can do that, the defence has to retreat and constrict because the advantage line is broken.

* Hold the ball instead of pushing passes, make the Boks tackle more and more, they will run out of some petrol towards the end.

* Have Umaga on his best verbal game with the referee and linesmen, pointing out the South Africans' offside play.