Wayne Smith has tried to downplay the Ellis Park hoodoo - but scrumhalf Justin Marshall does not share the All Black coach's view of this intimidating stadium.

And Nick Farr-Jones, a former Wallaby captain, says the Test between the Springboks and the All Blacks on Saturday could "hand" the Wallabies the Tri-Nations trophy.

"The Wallabies' Test will be played at King's Park, where the visitors will have a much better chance of beating the Boks," he said, pointing out that the Durban stadium is not at altitude and nor as intimidating.

Ellis Park has taken on a personality of its own ever since the 1995 World Cup final and the Tri-Nations triumph in 1998 when Bobby Skinstad sealed the final Test with a spectacular try behind the posts.

"Of all the stadiums in which I've played, I like Ellis Park the least. The pavilions are always packed and the spectators extremely partial," Marshall said.

Ellis Park's "intimidating" spectators were also targeted this week in New Zealand and Australian newspapers.

"They are regarded as the noisiest and most frightening in world rugby. Since the Boks' return after isolation, they were also the ugliest and most controversial," The Australian reported.

"To play at Ellis Park is one of the most frightening experiences and the visiting team is the target of a massive psychological onslaught," the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Smith, however, claimed: "It's the same shape and the same size as any other field. It's rectangular and the grass is green. And we are going to play on it."

As Smith will recall, the All Blacks lost the 1995 World Cup final - despite being overwhelming favourites - and the Boks came close to upsetting them in 1997, when Jannie de Beer just missed a match-winning penalty.