Springbok skipper Andre Vos has singled out All Black fly-half Andrew Mehrtens as his side's point of attack in Saturday's Tri Nations clash.

"Quite a bit has been said about his defence, he can make tackles if he has to but obviously he has been exposed once or twice," Vos said of Mehrtens.

"It was an area we have had a look at, but it wasn't the only area."

New Zealand coach Wayne Smith was confident his 86kg playmaker, who took some big hits against the Wallabies last week, was up to the task.

"We assume they will do," Smith said of the Springboks attacking Mehrtens.

"I know Mehrts is aware of that as well. He's going to have the black jersey on and he just has got to go and play like he normally does.

"He'll make the tackles like everyone else, and he will. We haven't
compensated for him," he added.

Last weekend's thrilling triumph over Australia has left the All Blacks
clear favourites.

But the Springboks have defied the odds before and are confident they can cause an upset if they deny the All Blacks' rampaging backline the chance to run the ball.

Under fire Springbok coach Nick Mallett has already said his side cannot afford to give the All Blacks any room to move, a sure sign of the value he is putting on first-up tackles.

But New Zealand are also looking to their defence. Last weekend they conceded five tries to Australia for only the second time since the Wallabies first achieved the feat in 1978.

"We have to set our defensive line better and we have to tackle better one-on-one," Smith said.

"We need to make better decisions when we're on the ball. We took some bad options against Australia," he added.

English-born Mallett was critical of his team's effort against Australia in the Nelson Mandela Cup match a fortnight ago.

"Our defensive tackles weren't effective enough and we weren't hitting the rucks hard enough," he said.

He hopes to eliminate the threat of giant All Black wing Jonah Lomu - their last minute scoring hero against the Wallabies - by moving Tinus Delport from his left wing to the right in place of the more slightly built Breyton Paulse.

Mallett is hoping the Boks can punish the All Black lineout which against Australia lost five of their own throw-ins.

Lock Troy Flavell will be well tested in this department while also being looked at to improve the long-standing All Black weakness in contesting kick-off possession.

"We're not good in that area and we haven't been for years," Smith said.

Mallett was encouraged by flanker Rassie Erasmus being declared fit on Friday after overcoming a hamstring problem.

Mallett lost second rowers Krynauw Otto and Selborne Boome and solid
midfield player Japie Mulder to injuries.

He has shifted flanker Andre Venter to the second row, brought on De Wet Barry at midfield and replaced fly-half Louis Koen with the stronger Braam van Straaten.

The bookmakers have given the All Blacks the game by 15 points.

Of the 54 internationals the two countries have played, the All Blacks have won 26 and the Springboks 25 with three matches drawn.

But since South Africa's readmission into the world game in 1992 the All Blacks have beaten the Springboks in 11 out of 17 Tests, inflicting a record 28-0 defeat on South Africa in Dunedin a year ago.

The Springboks have scraped together five victories and a draw.