KEY POINTS:
Rugby was not best served when the sport's greatest rivals, the All Blacks and South Africa, used diluted sides but that was the price in seeking World Cup success, the Springboks coach Jake White said yesterday.
"The reality I think is that both nations have put huge premiums on Rugby World Cup this year and let's be fair and say that there are a lot of reasons."
New Zealand had not won the tournament since 1987 and there was huge pressure on them to succeed and then defend it again as host in 2011 while South Africa had not triumphed since 1995.
"We know how important World Cup wins are to us in terms of what it did to us as a country in '95.
"When you say it has come to this, I think you can look at this test in isolation and say maybe we feel a little aggrieved by the fact that we are not getting the best players playing this weekend.
"But let me tell you that if the World Cup final is South Africa versus New Zealand in France then people are not going to worry about what happened in Christchurch.
"We will see the best players playing against each other in France and I suppose that is what everyone wants to get to on the 20th of October."
White said England had worn the World Cup crown from 2003 and that carried a huge commercial clout for that team and the country.
The Springbok coach said he had picked a side full of athletic ability to try to counter the attacking thrust and pace of the All Blacks on Saturday.
He has switched usual wing JP Pietersen to fullback and brought another speedster Jaco Pretorius on to the wing while lock Johann Muller would be South Africa's 53rd test captain on Saturday in Christchurch.
Muller was much closer to making the final World Cup squad than other captaincy candidates Gary Botha or Wikus van Heerden who were best left to play their own games without having to worry further about leading the side.
White said his goal was to win every test, even when he had to pick below strength sides. He had chosen to rest players from test duty as the World Cup approached while the All Blacks, with the benefit of their player depth, had used their rotation throughout the year.
It was always difficult to rest top players for any cause.
"We get hired and fired on results, coaches around the world.
"But the one thing I can say which is really positive in the last couple of weeks with South African rugby is that the provinces have really gone out of their way to assist us in this World Cup campaign."
Senior Springboks left at home were recuperating, provinces were not demanding they play and that said White, was why South Africa was so optimistic about their World Cup chances.
He hoped Saturday's side would stay with the All Blacks and even make them play catch-up in the last quarter.
But the All Blacks would look to play a wide game, ramp up the tempo throughout the test and that would put pressure on the Springboks.
"But let me put it to you this way. What happens if this team beats the All Blacks? It would be a national disaster in Christchurch, let's be honest. The All Blacks did not believe they would lose to Australia in Melbourne. If they lose to this team, which happens in rugby union and that is why it is such a fascinating game, can you imagine the high that South Africa will have and the low New Zealand will have going into psychological battle in the World Cup?"
Jade Stadium, 7.30pm Saturday
All Blacks
15. Mils Muliaina
14. Doug Howlett
13. Isaia Toeava
12. Luke McAlister
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu
10. Daniel Carter
9. Piri Weepu
8. Rodney So'oialo
7. Richie McCaw (c)
6. Reuben Thorne
5. Chris Jack
4. Keith Robinson
3. Carl Hayman
2. Keven Mealamu
1. Tony Woodcock
Reserves
Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Brendon Leonard, Conrad Smith, Nick Evans
South Africa
15. JP Pietersen
14. Breyton Paulse
13. Waylon Murray
12. Wynand Olivier
11. Jaco Pretorius
10. Derick Hougaard
9. Ruan Pienaar
8. Jacques Cronje
7. P Wannenburg
6. W van Heerden
5. Johann Muller (c)
4. A van den Berg
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. B du Plessis
1. CJ van der Linde
Reserves
Gary Botha, Eddie Andrews, Gerrie Britz, Hilton Lobberts, Michael Claassens, Peter Grant, Tonderai Chavhanga
