KEY POINTS:
Five-eighths Derick Hougaard carries the confidence created by his Bulls side winning the Super 14 crown but is uncertain of his World Cup fate.
He played in the last event and in the 29-9 quarter-final loss to the All Blacks in Melbourne but is not listed in the biographies of 46 players in the Springbok media guide.
His competition for the No 10 jersey - Butch James and Andre Pretorius - are repairing back home in South Africa, leaving Hougaard to steer his side last week against the Wallabies and tomorrow against the All Blacks in Christchurch.
"I like to think there is a chance for me but I am not the World Cup selector and no one has the right to play for their country. We'll see.
"We took a lot of belief out of what happened in the Super 14 for the Tri-Nations and international season but as life goes, our feet are back on the ground again, that is the cruelty of this sport and you have to be focussed all the time," he says.
The 24-year-old is generally viewed as an instinctive kicker of the ball, a style which suits the forward power and defensive strengths of the Bulls. He accepts he does kick a great deal but is also aware of shifting possession when chances are on out wide.
"But if you can win the games by keeping it tight then why move it? You have to play what is in front of you. Last week against the Wallabies we did not get much ball we could attack with in their half so I did kick.
"I am still not where I want to be as a flyhalf, I have a lot of work to do so I can't be too naive about it. I am only 24 but my body does feel a lot older from all the hits."
Hougaard says his instructions were to find territory in Sydney to try to pin the Wallabies on defence or through the Springbok setpiece.
"Statistics showed we did kick but I think they also showed the Wallabies kicked more than us. It is not about how you kick but how clever you kick."
The Springboks started well against the Wallabies, but were unable to maintain the pressure. That was the main area South Africa needed to improve on tomorrow against the All Blacks.
"We need to use some of the Bulls' and Sharks' strengths but also to adapt a bit more. We have to be more flexible in how we play this game."
This will be Hougaard's second test against the All Blacks and while the other international was four years ago he has not shed the pain of that defeat.
"It was a hard day at the office. We could not get into the game and the All Black forwards were awesome that day and that allowed guys like Carlos Spencer to make trouble for us."
