KEY POINTS:
Even though recent Springbok-All Black clashes have tended to blur into one another, probably because Bok supporters have developed an ability to forget pain and suffering, this time the result has a far greater significance than just another Tri-Nations fixture.
There is a feeling in South Africa that the Boks are the only team in the world capable of stopping the All Blacks march to their first World Cup crown since 1987 - a competition played without South Africa, as Louis Luyt reminded you Kiwis in 1995.
There is the belief among coaches and players here, that if the Boks can match or better still dominate the primary phases against the All Black pack, in particular the lineout, then that helps to nullify the potent threat from their backs.
The Boks feel they have the players to do this.
Get Os du Randt going forward against Carl Hayman and you nullify the threat of the New Zealand loose forwards and halfback; get Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha putting pressure on Anton Oliver's throwing in the lineouts, especially with New Zealand's third choice lock pairing and you starve their wonderful backline finishers of ball.
It is acknowledged the All Blacks are devastating at turning over ball, hence the Bok tactic of driving as many lineouts as possible and looking for penalties or blind-side probes.
The Bok attack will be direct and uncomplicated with clearly allocated ball carriers and cleaners to protect the ball and, hopefully, get momentum. If the ball is static, they will rely heavily on deep kicks and good defensive lines to negate the danger of counter-attacks. The key is no turnover ball. It may not be brilliant and crowd pleasing, but this group of Boks know how to cut their suits according to the tough and hairy cloth that they have been given.
Defence will also be the key. It is not all rush and smash.
How Dan Carter carries the ball will decide whether we hit up fast or delay and shift.
The longer Carter carries it, the more likely he will be confronted by Butch James. If he passes early, then James and the backline will shift.
It is one of those wonderful match-ups. James, with his broadsword, all muscle and effort, with the occasional no-look pass and no-arms tackle against the elegant Carter with his rapier, carving out intricate openings in the opposition defence with a variety of passes from hand and foot.
Hurry Carter and he is human. Get at him through his pack and his halfback because we are all aware of the damage he can cause with time on the ball.
We know how good the All Black back three are. They play with pace, power and grace.
Bok success depends on stopping the All Blacks doing what they do better than any team in the world. Deprive them of possession in primary phases and stop their momentum, don't give them time on the ball because they will make good decisions and give accurate passes and run good lines, don't turn ball over and punish their errors, which are, from a Bok supporter's point of view, a sad rarity.
Whichever team win on Sunday will have laid down a marker for the World Cup. The winners will gain a small psychological advantage that will stand them in good stead come the cup, should the two teams, as I predict, meet in the final in France. The loser will have that dreadful seed of self doubt implanted that is the downfall of many a top sportsmen.
Only victory against the same opponent can expunge this. South Africa have the physicality and competitiveness to beat NZ every now and then. That is more than any other nation can say at this juncture.
* Nick Mallett is a former Springbok coach
