Boks coach friendly and charming - so far

Springbok coach Jake White. Picture / Reuters

DURBAN - New Zealand and South Africa may be rugby's bitterest rivals but so far the atmosphere enveloping Saturday's Tri-Nations clash between the All Blacks and Springboks is as warm and friendly as the All Blacks training base.

Admittedly it is early days but the initial demeanour of South African coach Jake White suggests a tepid build up to Saturday's test at Newlands.

Three weeks ago the occasionally bombastic White was brazenly describing Wallabies prop Bill Young as better suited for a fifth-grade Stellenbosch side, rather than an actual international.

Carl Hayman, Tony Woodcock and Greg Somerville have so far been spared the same career advice, indeed White has had nothing but praise for the All Blacks, saying success at the weekend would be tantamount to winning the World Cup -- in what was possibly a cheeky reminder of what New Zealand hasn't experienced since 1987.

But really, psychological warfare is yet to be declared, unless White is trying lull the All Blacks into a false sense of security by praising them to the hilt.

"They've won something like 38 out of their last 44 tests," White enthused at a press conference in Cape Town today.

"That takes some doing. So I don't think we put them on a pedestal when we praise the quality of the All Blacks.

"They are the world's best team and deserve that respect," he said, before claiming some belated kudos for his own team.

"I don't think people fully appreciate the magnitude of the wins against the Wallabies," he explained, despite having spent the first week of July disparaging the Australian's scrummaging ability.

"It took a big effort to beat them in Pretoria (on Saturday) and to get a win against the world's top team on Saturday would in our minds be a bit like winning a World Cup.

"Obviously, it is not the World Cup, but it means that we would have knocked (the world ranked) one and two over in three successive weekends.

"And that's what we will have to do in 2007 to win the World Cup. We have to get past a quarterfinal, semifinal and final. The only difference is that the opposition would not have had three weeks off, as the All Blacks have."

Unlike the Wallabies, the All Blacks have also had a dream run with an inquisitive South African media, no doubt helped by the fact they haven't yet been fighting amongst themselves in nightclubs or suggesting which mate they would like to eat --- and how.

Basing the All Blacks in Umhlanga, a sleepy hollow 20km north of Durban, appears a wise move with a favourable climate -- compared to winter in Cape Town -- and little local interest making for a relaxed low-key stay.

Admittedly boisterous rugby players were responsible for shattering a second-floor window at their hotel last night -- but it was a group of English schoolboys up the road from the All Blacks location.

- NZPA