Who cares about records?

South African winger Breyton Paulse is more excited by the great strides his team are making than one landmark he will reach against the All Blacks tomorrow.

When he runs on for his 45th test at Jade Stadium, livewire Paulse will pass James Small as the most capped Springboks winger.

And after snaring two tries in the win over the Pacific Islanders last weekend, he needs one more to move ahead of Stormers team-mate Pieter Rossouw into second place by himself on their country's tryscoring list.

They both have 21, well short of the 38 scored by former halfback Joost van der Westhuizen.

Injury and the form of right-winger Ashwin Willemse largely kept Paulse sidelined last year, but he is playing better than ever this year and enjoying the team culture created by new coach Jake White compared to last year's regime under Rudolf Straeuli.

"There's a new style, a new vision," Paulse said.

"The guys have got a bit more freedom. Whereas before we were put into the corner and we didn't have to make decisions, now everybody is involved and the team is getting on very well."

Paulse, 28, said the Springboks backline had been operating at about 60 per cent of their potential this year, with patches of good play mixed with inconsistency.

"We are a new team, a young team and we are still finding each other," he said.

The All Blacks had one of the most feared backlines around because of their high standards, pace and combinations.

"If you score so many tries out wide, it means you're doing something right," he said.

"We have to be sharp and make sure we cut their space down quickly.

"They're very off the cuff. Most teams these days are very structured and we are also bringing it into our game, where we try to run from anywhere if it's on."

The Springboks based their style last year largely around kicking through first five-eighths Louis Koen or Derick Hougaard.

It often didn't work, with their nadir coming in the 29-9 World Cup quarter-final loss to the All Blacks in Melbourne.

All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith said the Springboks' back play was becoming predictable until Paulse's return this year.

"He's given them a different aspect to their game," Smith said. "He's different to the rest of them in that he looks to avoid contact.

"He's very quick, slippery, whereas traditionally they're a bit more direct.

"I think he and [fullback] Percy Montgomery have given them a bit more talent and pace in terms of the wider game."

Smith said South Africa still had two "big hitters" in midfield in De Wet Barry and Marius Joubert.

- NZPA