KEY POINTS:
He doesn't wear one of those striking Springbok blazers and, for sure, the accent remains pure Strine rather than the "ja, ja" of the South Africans.
But the Springboks' new technical adviser and former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones still has one thing on his mind: beating the All
Blacks. To his mind they are still favourites to lift the World Cup on October 21.
Jones sees one man as key to the entire New Zealand bid for the trophy they have not lifted for 20 years.
Any guesses? Richie McCaw? Dan Carter? Chris Jack? Carl Hayman? Byron Kelleher? No. Try Aaron Mauger.
"For me, New Zealand are a much more mature side than in 2003. But the crucial selection in their side is at No 12 and they must get it right," Jones said. "Aaron Mauger is undoubtedly the best reader of a game anywhere in New Zealand. He is able to make good decisions under pressure.
"Luke McAlister is an absolutely brilliant player but he is not a strategist. For me, it will come down to how guys cope with pressure.
"There is a push inside New Zealand to play McAlister because he is so good. But, personally, I would resist it. New Zealand needs a guy to manage the game for them because Daniel Carter doesn't do that.
"Aaron Mauger is the guy who can fulfil that role. For me, he'd be an essential part of their team."
Jones praises All Black management for the way they have handled their preparations.
"They have been pretty smart and have definitely had a long-term strategy. They have followed that but made adjustments where necessary. I think they experimented in the Tri-Nations this year, playing a high-phase game and keeping the ball for long periods. They became quite lateral.
"But their success [in recent years] has been built on a lot of tactical kicking and then attacking more from opposition errors when they have been in possession. That was the low-phase game technique they perfected.
"So I didn't read too much into their performances this year. I think they just used that style for experimentation. I expect them to revert chiefly to the previous style at the World Cup."
A couple of other things will still be crucial to New Zealand's bid for glory, says Jones.
"The greatest pressure they will face is from their own country. Their planning and preparation is probably the best of all the countries and remember, the last two cups have been won by the sides with the best preparation.
"New Zealand are a good side but one area of their game that will constantly be under pressure is one of the crucial set pieces, the lineout. Compare them to South Africa who have two set pieces, scrums and lineouts, from which they can be sure of delivering quality ball."
Jones doesn't entirely buy the view of Springbok coach Jake White that rock-solid defence will again decide the outcome, as it did in 1995, 1999 and 2003.
"I think you are going to have to score tries off your own ball to win this World Cup. I think the winners will need the ability to score tries off first phase attack with precision and deception, speed and power. The winning team will have to be prepared to take a risk to do that."
And that doesn't sound much like cautious, conservative South Africa.
