Springboks fear the roof will fall in

The Boks were held 18-18 in Dublin with two minutes to play before a Braam Van Straaten penalty and a late Andre Venter try produced a flattering 28-18 score-line. Against Wales on Sunday, it was 13-13 with time running out when Van Straaten kicked a penalty and converted Breyton Paulse's late, late try to provide another apparently comfortable 23-13 triumph.

But neither Viljoen nor the South African press are convinced by these fight-to-the-finish scorelines.

At home, criticism has been growing despite the results. The midweek team's 28-11 loss to Ireland A in Limerick earlier in the month has led to a feeling that the current squad lacks depth - which may be confirmed in tonight's game against a National Division XV at Worcester. With wing Pieter Roussouw (hamstring) and full back Thinus Delport (concussion) doubtful for Saturday, Viljoen may have to switch Percy Montgomery from fly half to full back.

Japie Mulder, the powerful centre who was suspended for his aggressive approach against Wales A last week, may be considered for the Test - Viljoen believing that the English backs, particularly South African-born Mike Catt - could be intimidated.

If creative impetus is needed, scrum half Joost van der Westhuizen, the most-capped Spring-bok in history following his 89th appearance in Cardiff, is always able to produce the unexpected now that he has recovered from a career-threatening knee injury.

Yesterday van der Westhuizen said of the wins over Ireland and Wales: 'It was a matter of pride. In Ireland they chased us off the practice pitch. We had arrived a little later than scheduled, but they came on when we over-ran. We took that into the game with us and made them pay.

'We took it as a personal insult when Wales refused to close the Millennium Stadium roof and it made us all the more determined to win. It is in our rugby culture to keep going to the death. We did, Wales didn't.'

On Saturday, they will and England must.

Viljoen is a 41-year-old legend as a coach back home. A former Transvaal - now Gauteng - player, he successfully rebuilt the provincial hopes of Gauteng Lions, KwaZulu Natal Lions and Western Province before taking a two-year break from the game before his international call.

Viljoen's first Test against Argentina a few weeks ago confirmed his visionary approach when he turned Montgomery, who has bulked up considerably since his early displays at full back against the Lions in 1997, into a pivotal fly half - and he was instructed to run every penalty.

Of his run-the-ball revolution, Viljoen says: 'I have a vision of rugby that I believe in. I'm looking for a specific type of ball player. I want a team that can play different styles every week.'

Viljoen now blames the weather for disrupting his plans. It's an old excuse but he has a point. The Boks, several of whom grew up in Gauteng, where no rain falls during the rugby season, find themselves in the middle of the wettest autumn on record in Britain. Meteorologists confirmed yesterday that Britain has had 77 per cent more rain than average in the last three months and the pitch at Twickenham is unlikely to be parched on Saturday.

Viljoen confessed: 'The weather has been difficult but we are in a rebuilding phase. Running will remain a major part of our game-plan, but we will have to balance it out with more kicking. We will need to improve for the England game.'

Lawrence Dallaglio, the former England captain, will face the South Africans twice in quick succession - he was named yesterday to lead the Barbarians against the Boks in their final tour game at Twickenham on December 10. That should be some finale. As Wales coach Graham Henry said yesterday: 'A wounded Springbok can be a dangerous animal.'