Chris Rattue: Finding fault in the Springbok machine

The Springboks probably strolled out of Perth in a jubilant mood, but the pretenders to their crown should allow themselves a wee smile.

The Springboks' Perth mirth. Not likely.

Forget the glowing tributes to the tanks of this African corp because the Boks blew a golden opportunity to blast Robbie Deans' shaky Aussie regime to smithereens.

The 2009 Tri-Nations title hunt is virtually over - and a premature congratulations to the Springboks in this - but it's also a case of let the games begin as the World Cup looms.

The Springboks' cocky, alleged coach Peter de Villiers loves throwing in little jabs at the opposition, and he did it again in Perth by suggesting the Wallabies' attack was naive.

Of course he's not the only leading rugby coach with a nice line in smirks, and he might find he's not the only one who has it wiped off his face.

The South Africans are a mysterious lot - they can be brutal on the field with great slabs of humankind operating on tactics that were all the rage in the 1950s. Yet they lack the true killer instinct.

Maybe the Boks are just one ball-playing inside back away from unlocking their full potential, but the truth is they are in danger of becoming locked by habit in third gear. Use it or lose it, troops.

The Springboks have won their Tri-Nations matches by strangely similar scorelines, and they could have won each one of them by more - a whole lot more.

They also let a scratch Lions team out of the cage of their own inadequacies, to a point that Ian McGeechan's pussycats should have won a three-match series which the pundits, to a man, said the Boks would win in a canter.

The Springboks are a wonderful side in many regards, make no mistake. Their lineout is extraordinary, the overall mix of power and speed almost frightening, the goal and general kicking superb, they have a wealth of high-class experience, and surprise package Heinrich Brussow is at the top of his low-to-the-ground "fetching" game.

But instead of slamming the door in the face of opponents, they keep leaving the side gate open.

The Boks should have torn Australia apart at Newlands and were potentially good enough to whip the Aussies by a good 30 points in Perth after a flying start.

They ended up winning by only seven - it would have been five, but for Matt Giteau's rushed and botched conversion attempt - although they were never under threat of defeat.

By the end though, the little blokes among the Ocker Shockers - Quade Cooper, Will Genia and Matt Giteau - were beginning to show just how vulnerable the Springboks could be when faced with ball players and sharp changes to the angles of attack.

The vultures are forever circling Camp Deans on both sides of the Tasman and the carcass should have been picked clean by this morning.

Instead, the Aussies hung on grimly for life, exposed a few weaknesses in the Springboks' defence, embarrassed their scrum, slapped a lineout steal off them and pinched a highly unlikely - if pointless - bonus point.

This average Aussie team was ripe for a Springbok smashing.

They had been pounded in a brutal battle against the All Blacks the week before and had to trek from Sydney to Perth.

Their warhorse centre Stirling Mortlock was out of action, Berrick Barnes - the guiding force of the backline - was also gone, and they had a new centre combination with defensive problems written all over it.

Wallaby hooker Stephen Moore's nose, or what is left of it, was symbolic of this smashed up team.

In contrast, the fully fit Springboks were flying high from their domination on home soil, and had been able to saunter confidently and well-rested into Perth, which for them is a handy home away from home.

John Smit and his mates started the match by knocking back the Wallaby defence with the sort of decorum that TV cops use on ghetto doors.

After 15 minutes, you wondered if the end result might be so horrendous that Deans would forget about heading back east for a while and instead knock on his old mate John Mitchell's door.

The Wallabies' boneheaded generosity was extraordinary. Giteau missed goal kicks, Richard Brown attempted two catches with all the style of a geriatric cricketer on the drink, even the fantastic Rocky Elsom put down a simple collect, and the long lineout throw in to nowhere which gifted Bryan Habana a try would have been laughed at in Presidents' grade.

Deans will be furious with his players and, for the first time in his glittering career, may be starting to seriously question his own coaching methods.

Another season like this, and Deans could be lifting a cup of tea in Glenmark rather than contemplating hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup in 2011.

The old Crusaders maestro has given his players every chance, which will have won him respect among the troops.

But he needs to start culling the weak links now. Halfback Luke Burgess and loosie Brown aren't test class - Deans may need to use Giteau as cover for Genia at halfback, and either give David Pocock a start or try to fire up big Wycliff Palu again.

Operating in a minority sport of spectacular achievement which has been allowed to wither, Deans' options are a poor match for Australian rugby's expectations.

As for the South Africans, they are a potentially awesome side being run by senior and iconic players who are primarily based in the forwards. The Springboks are on a roll, but they should be absolutely rocking. On Saturday, they put a lid on their kicking obsession and scored four tries, but should have scored four more.

They are streets ahead of the wobbly Wallabies and bumbling All Blacks, yet they just can't get themselves out of the same neighbourhood.

The best of the rest will only let them get away with it for so long.

The Springboks are leading from the front yet letting everyone else stay in touch. They have all the firepower, but are also playing with fire.