Straeuli's Boks are up against it (Getty Images).

By Neal Collins, Brisbane

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Can they really do it, these desperate Springboks?

To hear them talk, you'd think Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand is a battle of equals.

But of course, anyone who keeps an eye on the Super 12 and Tri-Nations knows South Africa haven't got a chance. The South Africans regularly fill the bottom spots in both the Southern Hemisphere's major tournaments.

Sure, they put up a fight in Dunedin earlier this year, but that's about as good as it gets these days as Rudi Straueli battles to produce a winning side.

Poor old Rudi has got little Gideon Sam in his ear talking quotas, youngsters like Stuart Abbott leaving to play for England and he's just lost the impressive Joe van Niekerk for the rst of the tournament after a cruciate injury.

Yet somehow, after a preparation marred by the Geo Cronje saga, Rudi's men find increasing numbers of experts backing them to produce an upset.

The computers are predicting 18 or more to the Kiwis... but maybe the computer missed the All Blacks wobbling dangerously against Wales on Sunday, where they conceded four tries in a 53-37 win.

Or perhaps the computer, like Samoa's management, didn't notice that young Derick Hougaard has come in for lamentable Louis Koen.

The Samoans found out soon enough what a difference Hougaard makes as they were hammered 60-10 just a week after leading England an unmerry dance in Melbourne.

So here we have it: Questions being asked of the All Black defence while the Boks appear to be on the rise.

Lock Victor Matfield, one of my players of the tournament so far, is hinting of dark secrets, mysterious game plans.

With both Scotland boss Ian McGeechan and England's Clive Woodward's admitting to paranoia over Aussie spies, Matfield suggests South Africa are capable of altering their game plan.

He says: "We can go out and play like we did against England (hard, uncompromising defence) or Samoa (running rugby, strong on set pieces).... we can go out and play any style. It's just up to us to decide."

Captain Corne Krige, who has had a superb tournament after a muscle twinged ruled him out of the opening romp against Uruguay, says: "We must focus on our strengths."

Meanwhile the New Zealanders appear to be talking South Africa up.

Scrum-half Justin Marshall says: "They breed them big in South Africa. They're always confrontational, they like to play an aggressive game.

"Every time you play the Springboks they are very physical. It's going to be a real challenge. There's a real edge of desperation there."

And that perhaps is the key.

While these Boks have learned to play with their backs to the wall, under the pressure of huge expectation amongst the rugby-speaking populace back home, New Zealand appear to be far too comfortable.

Their much-vaunted backs have scored plenty of tries - Doug Howlett and Mils Mulaina both top the charts with six - but there are times when they look too perfect.

And against Wales, they appeared to suffer from that worrying back ailment: tacklephobia. Naas Botha never recovered from it.

Look, I don't think South Africa are quite there. With Leon McDonald kicking and a relieved Carlos Spencer sparkling, they'll have to go through the forwards to win it.

Kiwi coach John Mitchell says: "The Boks have been through a fair bit of turmoil during their preparations. They're using that to draw strength."

And of course he's right. But how is he going to get his men fired up?

If South Africa go out and tear in to the All Blacks, and if they can sustain that pressure, we may be in for an upset.

But when the Australians come up against McGeechan's lucky Scots in Brisbane half an hour later, don't expect too much.