Sean Fitzpatrick: Write the Springboks off... if you dare

Bismarck du Plessis is a crucial player for the Boks. Photo / Getty Images

Not long ago, Graham Henry was asked who he thought the All Blacks' main competition would be at the Rugby World Cup. His answer was Australia.

Even allowing for the fact the Wallabies won last night's Tri Nations decider, my answer to the previous question would be unequivocal: South Africa.

I am worried about the Boks. A lot of people will have dismissed that result because it was a second-string All Black team.

But I think that masks the potential problem. We gave the Boks some belief, no matter what the make-up of the side they played against.

They know there is no such thing as a bad All Black team. More than that, they have gone back to their ability to win ugly.

Coach Peter de Villiers has been a long time deciding on his best team and, in particular, his best first five-eighths. What we saw at Port Elizabeth was that Morne Steyn is the man who just clicks into that favoured style of play.

When they get players like Fourie du Preez, Bismarck du Plessis, William Alberts, Pierre Spies and Schalk Burger back from injury, coming into form and driving forward, they will be even harder to beat.

They have gone back to a style they are comfortable with; that they have confidence in - and that means a lot to them mentally.

All the teams that have won the Cup thus far have had iconic captains and, if you look through the squads coming to New Zealand, there are few who have skippers who can be called iconic.

South Africa's John Smit is, and I think many people have underestimated his effect on the Boks and his skill as a hooker and a leader too.

I have not enjoyed the sight of a fine player having his career hauled through the gutter by the media. There's no question he was damaged by that move to make him a prop. That did him no favours and he's had to endure being told he's not worth his place.

But he remains a real force at hooker. I think they will start with the captain and then replace him with Bismarck du Plessis.

And what a player du Plessis is. I think he will have a great World Cup and I have been so impressed by his attitude and his play. He is steaming when he comes on and desperate to do his best - and he makes a difference.

I think there is little question that he might be starting in front of Smit if it wasn't a World Cup year - and that tells you all you need to know about Smit and what he means to his team.

Australia will always be dangerous - they so often play well against the All Blacks - but that loss at Eden Park damaged them. If they lost at Brisbane last night, that mental scar will be bigger.

England will be a threat if they realise they have to play the same way as South Africa. They have to play Jonny Wilkinson at 10 and grind things out.

However, Martin Johnson can be a stubborn man. It's like his selection of Shontayne Hape in the centres. Johnson appears to be the only person who can't see it - like his selection of Steve Borthwick as lock and captain.

France will be a handful but you never know what they bring to the party and it's a worry trying to second-guess them. The real danger now is the Springboks.