RUGBY: 'The All Blacks are ordinary!'

By Mark Keohane - iol.co.za

Don't make the mistake of putting the All Blacks on a pedestal. They are not that good that you need to strain your neck in taking a peak at their match 22.

The Springboks aren't that good either, which means we should have a decent contest on Saturday, much as we did in Cape Town against Australia.

The negativity in assessing the Boks' come-from-behind win at Newlands against the best defensive team in the game has been bizarre. It was a positive result that should be appreciated.

Equally perplexing has been the instant elevation in status of the All Blacks. This is the same team who have won just once against the Boks in this country in the last four years. On what basis do they start as favourites in Durban?

The All Blacks have been ordinary in three Tests this season. Dan Carter and Richie McCaw are the game's best in their positions, but on form both are not the best in New Zealand.

The top four locks in New Zealand aren't in Durban and the All Black selectors still don't know if centre Isaia Toeava has the Test match temperament to match his talent.

This is not an All Blacks side riding the crest of a wave, but one that looks like it has been hit by a wave in 2007.

The Boks will beat the All Blacks if they confront the form of the guys wearing black jerseys and are not influenced by the legend of the jersey.

And if the Boks get their psyche right and win, does that make them World Cup favourites? No. The relevance of this Tri-Nations is how teams perform away from home.

Australia's World Cup standing improved after the thriller at Newlands and New Zealand will face a similar evaluation in Durban and Melbourne a week later.

The Boks will be judged when they play overseas, which is why Jake White should shelve any notion of sending a second team Down Under.

The Boks, by winning at home, can build momentum and confidence, but wins in Australia and New Zealand will give the players a conviction far more powerful.

There are those who have said the Boks could upset the All Blacks in Durban. Why would it be a surprise?

Individually, the two teams are well matched. If you picked a combined team, it would be 8-7 to one or the other.

An upset would be if the All Blacks provided 13 players to the Boks' two and then lost. South Africa should win on Saturday, but no victory in Durban will be an indicator of better days at the World Cup.

Winning at home is the norm for the All Blacks and Springboks.

*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog