The Springboks failed to impress in their 26-0 victory over Italy at Newlands on Saturday, but former Bok coach Nick Mallett nevertheless believes Peter de Villiers' team has the ability to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time since 1998.
Mallett, the last man to coach the Springboks to a Test match win in New Zealand, was also proud of his Italian team's performance on Saturday and praised the effort of his second-string side who reduced South Africa to four tries.
For some the alarm bells may be ringing over the Boks' Tri-Nations prospects following two mediocre performances, against Wales and Italy, but Mallett remains upbeat about the world champions.
"It is a question of which combinations Peter de Villiers is going to pick. South Africa has fantastic talent and so much depth in so many positions and that makes it very tricky because you have to leave some guys out.
"But combinations are what will beat Australia and New Zealand. I strongly believe that southern hemisphere rugby is 20-30 percent stronger than anyone else and the best standard is the Tri-Nations. For South Africa this year represents a great opportunity with very good players and a great captain in John Smit to do very well.
"I know that in the (Bok) camp there has been talk of beating New Zealand for the first time in years and that is great, positive talk, which is fantastic. Of course it is one thing talking and another thing doing it, but I think South Africa have the ability to do it," said Mallett.
"On a day like this it was very difficult to run the ball. The Boks were brave enough to try to keep ball in hand out wide a lot."
On the way his side played, Mallett said: "I am very proud of the way my players got stuck back in after every try and kept to the gameplan.
"We kept a good line of defence, made our tackles and our lineout was good against a world champion SA team. Our scrums were quite solid and our phase play around the fringes was good. Unfortunately we just do not have the strike power to take it from there."
While Mallett was singing South Africa's praises, however, De Villiers went on the defensive over his team's lacklustre performance - but was oozing confidence over the Tri-Nations.
"We will take any win, no matter how ugly. The weather meant that we had to be conservative today, but four tries were lying around and I still think we did well in the wet," he said.
De Villiers admitted he had some hard decisions to make this week, specifically who would be back-up flyhalf on the Tri-Nations to Butch James - either Francois Steyn or Peter Grant.
"Out there today there were two different flyhalves and it gives you a great headache to look at the individual Steyn and then how Grant then came on and attacked the gain-line," he said.
"It would be difficult to leave one of them at home, but our talent base is so great it means we can still make mistakes but rely on our third or fourth players in the pecking order to win Tests for us."
Conrad Jantjes - 5. Solid, but not spectacular. Predictable, lacks adventure and enterprise. Formula without flair.
Odwa Ndungane - 5. Shaky start, then frustration. Boks, by design rather than default, battled to get ball out wide.
Gcobani Bobo - 4. Took 20 minutes to get a decent run, then penalised for holding on. Strong on defence, but unable to produce a single line-break.
Jean de Villiers - 6. Two line-breaks and one bad fumble, generally a hot-and-cold performance.
Bryan Habana - 7. Deadly in loose play. Set Francois Steyn up for first try with electrifying run, beating four Italian defenders. But more frustration, not seeing enough ball.
Francois Steyn - 5. A sublime individual talent, impressive acceleration and guile. But had two kicks charged down in his 22 and still unproven as a team player in a backline that misfired. Not ready to displace Butch James.
Ricky Januarie - 5. Did basics well, service to Steyn crisp. But needed more as a fourth loose-forward yesterday, carrying the pack forward around the fringes.
Ryan Kankowski - 6. More was expected. Few blistering runs before left with concussion.
Juan Smith - 5. Quiet game for the man rated best blindside flank in world. By his standards, a mediocre outing.
Luke Watson - 3. Difficult to see how he justifies inclusion as No 1 open-side flanker. He was anonymous.
Victor Matfield - 7. Another near flawless lineout performance from world's No 1 lock.
Bakkies Botha - 5. Played as if preserving himself for the Tri-Nations. Little seen of the hard man's ferocious presence.
CJ van der Linde - 4. Getting out-scrummed by second-rate Italian side missing seven first choice props is no feather in the cap for any tighthead prop.
Bismarck du Plessis - 7. Inches away from becoming first front ranker to score a hat-trick of tries. Enhanced reputation as best hooker in South Africa.
Tendai Mtawarira - 6. Magnificent in loose, mediocre in tight. Work to do in scrums. Sublime positional play earned first Springbok try.
Replacements:
Schalk Brits - 6. Oozed enthusiasm. Satisfactory 15-minute cameo. Did basics well, ran with relish to carry forwards over gain-line
Brian Mujati - 5. Late substitute, neither disgraced nor distinguished.
Andries Bekker - 5. Sleepless nights due over fumbled pass from Peter Grant, 2m short of first Test try.
Schalk Burger - 6. Looked rusty, but still made an impact with physical presence, forcing two turnovers at breakdown.
Joe van Niekerk - 6. Arguably the pick of the Bok loose-forwards in a back-row that struggled to link with the backs.
Ruan Pienaar - 5. Looked threatening at base of scrum, but wasn't given enough time to really stamp his mark on a wet, scrappy game.
Peter Grant - 6. Attacked gain-line, immediately gave impetus to backline by creating space. Backs more cohesive and effective with Grant at No 10. Dale Granger