Andrew Mehrtens

The All Blacks may march on undefeated but the weekend demonstrated palpably that South Africa are going to be big-time World Cup threats.

Maybe bigger even than the hosts who are also going to take some beating at Fortress Twickenham.

Sure, the Springboks weren’t able to get up and end their five-year losing streak on New Zealand soil, but boy did they get close. And a year out from the Cup it’s significant that they’re knocking on the door.

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They continue to play with so much physicality across the board but we’re also seeing their skilful guys – like Willie le Roux – come to the fore and look to spark things.

I thought it was a good old-style test – with a referee, for a change, who displayed a respect for the players and for his own (background) role.

I don’t mean old-style in terms of drudgery and predictability. It was good intense rugby, and low-scoring because defence overshadowed attack.

In fact this was a test similar in intensity to that great match in Jo’burg last year. It was just that back then it was attack that overshadowed defence.

The Springboks’ try on Saturday came when they exposed the All Black defence with a well-worked decoy and there was a loss of connection with the inside defender.

It only takes the outside man being a step or two ahead, and the result is a gap which we have seen in recent tries against the world champions.

To their credit the Boks moved quickly and decisively and it was all over before our guys had a chance to scramble.

Despite what many people believe, South Africans like to play.

We saw England come out in June and pressure the All Blacks, but they don’t yet have the collective skill requited to play the high-tempo game.

South Africa have similar physicality, but a lot more attacking nous. I can vouch for the fact they’ve had it for a while too.

In 2000 we thought we had them at Jo’burg but they played some incredible rugby we just couldn’t keep up with in a 46-40 loss. And that test last year at the same venue was great rugby from both teams.

Anyone who writes the Boks off as boofheads who have always played a one-dimensional game just doesn’t get it, and hasn’t seen centres such as Danie Gerber, Andre Snyman or Marius Joubert. They can play.

They’ve just battled the world champions, unbeaten for the last two years, on their home ground, and lost by four points.

It was telling they were able to exert more pressure than others on the All Blacks at ruck time.

They were smart on defence too, varying their speed nicely and making big, strong hits that disrupted the New Zealanders’ flow and tempo.

The Boks will clearly fancy their chances back at Ellis Park on October 4, and may even be the more motivated side.

In a funny sort of way this may not be a bad test for the All Blacks to lose. I wouldn’t even mind seeing them play a completely different sort of game.

Maybe muscle up in the forwards, and see if they can win one by means other than running a team off its feet.

In our 1995 World Cup campaign in South Africa we played high-tempo rugby that other teams couldn’t live with; then got to the final and confronted a different style.

South Africa stood up physically, were motivated, and contained us. We kept trying to play our game, but it was not quite enough.

It would be nice to see these All Blacks adjust, and show more versatility than we did.

All teams need to go through adversity at some stage, and you just wonder when the All Blacks’ is coming. Better this year than next.

It’s good, too, the All Blacks are looking to bring Dan Carter back through the provincial competition. Clearly Steve Hansen is a fan of this column after I called for that a while back!

That’s exciting for the provincial game and exciting for Carter who will have some fun in different positions, playing alongside some young guys.

The All Blacks don’t necessarily need him back, but he is still our best and deserves a chance for one more crack.

He’s more than earned that.