His recent two-match suspension for illegal tacking won't prevent Springbok flyhalf Butch James from getting stuck into the All Blacks in Saturday's first Tri-Nations Test at Newlands in Cape Town.

In fact, the kamikaze defender this week promised to tackle with as much gusto as in the Super 12 and in his first two Tests. The fuss his tackling has caused all over the rugby-playing world doesn't faze the 22-year-old Natal Shark.

James copped the suspension when the independent match commissioner cited him after the second Test against France in Durban for almost decapitating French wing David Bory.

But not even a cool-off period of two weeks - which meant he had to sit out the Test against Italy - is enough to unsettle the talented pivot. In fact, he promised the All Blacks he won't be holding back on his bone-crushing tackles in any way on Saturday.

"It's been very good to be back. The guys have been training hard and it's good to be back with them again," James said. He says he handles the stir his uncompromising tackling has caused just fine. Word is that the All Blacks will have a word with Australian referee Scot Young about it.

"I am handling it fine. It doesn't really bother me too much. I just carry on. I don't let it affect me. I don't think there is too much wrong with it, so I am not too worried about what people say."

Asked whether the suspension would affect his play in any way, he confidently answered: "It made me think about it (my tackling), but I'm still going to go out there with the same attitude and aggression. I'm not going to hold back anything."

James is confident that the flaws in his technique have been smoothed out in three specialist sessions with Les Kiss, the Springboks defence coach.

"It definitely helped. Les has had a couple of sessions with me and we sorted out some small things in my technique, but it was nothing huge. So it should be fine and hopefully on Saturday we will see how it goes".

Springbok coach Harry Viljoen said they decided on the sessions because they realised the problem is bigger than they initially thought. "We thought we could get the habit of using his shoulder in the tackle out of him quite easily and we have been working hard on that.

"I think it is an impulsive habit. When we first selected him I didn't think it was such a big problem, but we found out it was quite a problem and we're working hard on it."

Viljoen admitted that the Boks are worried about James' tackling technique. "That's why we want to address it. We believe Butch has a lot of potential and we want to get rid of the habit. We don't want to play that type of rugby and that's why we worked with him."

An unperturbed James said a Test against the All Blacks is the pinnacle for a South African rugby player and he is keenly awaiting his first Test against the old enemy.

And he has a score to settle with the Kiwis after he played at inside centre for the Baby Boks who were humiliated by the Baby Blacks in last year's Sanzar final. New Springbok centre Marius Joubert was his midfield partner on that disastrous day.

"That game is out of my head now," James commented. "That was the second time I played against them at that level and the first time we won. So it's one all now and on Saturday I want to make it 2-1."