Some positive feedback was received from our ‘friend’ Spiro Zavos this week after (yet again) the Australians have been found wanting when they should have done it. Even the All Blacks have been shouting for them, alas to no avail.

So, where does Spiro reckon we stand? He chirped Robbie Deans before they left to play their game in CT “At least you’ll have some advantage that the Springboks coach, Peter de Villiers, is rather flaky, to put it mildly.” Robbie Deans however made the emphatic statement that the Boks are a well coached side and it appears Spiro is not bending his knee in acceptance of the better informed around him voluntary…..

On the one hand he accepts that “rugby’s most diverting or annoying sideshow” Piet Divvie is coaching and selecting the side brilliantly. He refers to the Boks victory of the BIL’s and the clean sweep of the home leg of the 3N and the manner it has been achieved. Then he is in awe again on the manner we swept the opposition away in the first part of the game last Saturday.

Interesting and coming off brilliantly Saturday was targeting the new centre pairing which Spiro acknowledges as a well executed plan. It happened twice, referred to in the last 72 hours on many web sites as being just out of this world.

What Spiro cannot hide is the fact that our on-the- park decision making is also brilliant, something rarely seen in most teams during that feverish 80 minutes of full contact sports.

I have seen this change in strategy against the BIL’s several times, during Saturday’s game Spiro correctly spotted our defensive line pulling back slightly after taking penalties for offside in the first half. The result was more phases for the Australians and inevitably they had to score with their brilliant runners.

But Spiro is a fan of the running style of play and expressed approval of the selection of Ruan Pienaar above Frans Steyn.

According to Spiro the theoretical chance is still there for the AB’s to get their two five pointers over the next three weeks and the Boks to miss out on that bonus point to secure the 3N. That is fact but the odds are not in their favour by a mile.

This will give the Boks the same achievement which the Australians and AB’s got in 2001 and 2005 respectively in winning the 3N and the BIL’s in one year. Now that is comparing the Boks currently with some the of the hottest teams in the rugby world of all time and in my humble opinion that is where the Boks currently are: In rugby history this is the third time only after SA was allowed re-entry into the world sports arena that a team has dominated so much, and the second time only that the same team is simultaneously world champions.

But Spiro does have a good point of caution which Piet Divvie and his coaching team should think about. How many mistakes could be counted in the first 30 minutes of the game which should not be made by players in the top three teams in the world?

Think about Fourie Du Preez who was not tackled straight after kick-off and delivered a kick under pressure which no 8 Brown knocked on over the side line, would that happen again?

The erratic passing by Burgess has been under scrutiny over the last month, yet he played and serviced poorly again Saturday. Genia’s passing and his option taking come Brisbane should see off their potent backline under a lot less pressure.

Also when last have Giteau missed those absolute sitters? Six points went missing which should have been as easy as they come.

And of course Spiro loves the stats referring to under-cooked Bok teams of the past getting their hidings on Australian soil, especially the 49-0 hiding in Brisbane in 2006. Off course stats can prove anything if you want it to, and the if’s and but’s of a game is never reality.

What about if Morne converted the second try, what about if Brian did not drop the ball on the try line?

Lots of if’s Spiro does not consider in trying to raise the morale in the Australian camp. Where does this leave him? Clutching at straws in my humble opinion on the piece he wrote on rugbyheaven.com this morning.

Relishing the current moment of the Boks at the top of the log is not part of Mr Davos’ make up, and that I enjoy.