Rudolf is Bok to square one against the Scots

Rudolf Straeuli says the score (against Scotland) is 0-0. Wisely the Springbok coach is not talking about a "grudge match" ahead of Saturday afternoon's first Test against the Scots at Durban's King's Park.

Revenge talk - for the 21-6 defeat at Murrayfield last November - would be hollow and Straeuli knows this. He has no survivors in his starting team from that Edinburgh humiliation; and only Joost van der Westhuizen, Stefan Terblanche and Andre Snyman have played against Scottish opposition before.

Scotland coach Ian McGeechan, no doubt, will be equally glad to start Saturday's series at 0-0. His resources, as with the Springboks, have been considerably thinned by injury, loss of form and, in the case of fiery flank Budge Pountney, controversy.

The Scottish pack will sorely miss Lions prop Tom Smith (broken toe) and the commanding presence of Stuart Grimes (suspended for a punching incident), one of the heroes of last year's Murrayfield upset.

Pountney, in a fit of temper, stormed off a training session, declaring himself unavailable because of what he perceived as the Scottish Rugby Union's "lack of professionalism".

So, in a manner of speaking, the playing field has been levelled, and between Van der Westhuizen's Boks and Scotland, it's even Stevens.

Aiming at creating strength in unity and placing the emphasis on team work rather than individualism, the South African management for the time being has removed names from the Springboks' jerseys.

This is a praiseworthy step in the direction of ridding the team of a prima donna element, which from time to time had raised its head among the ranks of local players.

At the same time one hopes the South Africans don't altogether bury their individualism. Each one of the starting team has an individual talent that has brought him to the fore.

A team always functions best when the sum of its parts makes a cohesive whole, while at the same time allowing individual brilliance to add its special lustre to the team effort. One thinks here, in particular, of the captain himself.

A huge responsibility rests with Van der Westhuizen. The Bulls scrumhalf, playing in an incredible 80th test for his country, is fast recapturing his glory days, and his best form should act as the perfect tonic for this untried Bok combination.

As a welding agent between forwards and backs, Van der Westhuizen has the ability to bring out the best in both units.

A big game from the likes of Victor Matfield is what's needed to drive the pack as a whole and spark the kind of finesse and fire expected from the young back row of Wannenburg, Wikus van Heerden and Hendrik Gerber.

One would hope, too, for an upsurge of form behind the pack as well.

Louis Koen, if not hugely inventive at flyhalf, has the sort of steadiness that backs with the potential thrust of Trevor Halstead and Snyman could gainfully work off. Terblanche and Ricardo Loubscher are tricky runners and capable of dangerous forays on counter-attack.

But don't go to King's Park looking for a surfeit of thrills. It's unlikely to happen. Huge emphasis is expected to be placed on defence by both countries. It'll more likely be the sort of Test in which the opposing sides, looking to build towards October's World Cup in Australia, will say to themselves: "Let's learn first how not to lose before we start thinking of glorious victories."

And the Springboks should heed this warning: even without names on their backs, there'll be no place to hide. McGeechan, together with his 1997 Lions assistant coach Jim Telfer, has been round the block several times. Not only did the pair (with a little help from Gregor Townsend) plot the downfall of the Boks in '97, but McGeechan, you may recall, was also one of the mainstays of the triumphant 1974 Lions backline. Also Bryan Redpath is known as the sort of captain who doesn't give an inch.

If most of the advantages appear to lie with the Springbok camp, McGeechan has one precious advantage over his South African counterpart - he knows exactly what it takes to beat a Springbok side.

TEAMS:

Springboks:

Ricardo Loubscher (Sharks, 1 Test cap)

Stefan Terblanche (Sharks, 29)

Andre Snyman (Sharks, 34)

Trevor Halstead (Sharks, 4)

Ashwin Willemse (Lions, uncapped)

Louis Koen (Lions, 4)

Joost van der Westhuizen (Bulls, 79)

Pedrie Wannenburg (Bulls, 2)

Wikus van Heerden (Lions, uncapped)

Hendrik Gerber (Western Province, uncapped)

Victor Matfield (Bulls, 13)

Bakkies Botha (Bulls, 1)

Richard Bands (Bulls, uncapped)

Danie Coetzee (Bulls, 1)

Lawrence Sephaka (Lions, 7)

Reserves:

Robbie Kempson (Stormers, 31)

Cobus Visagie (Western Province, 26)

Selborne Boome (Western Province, 10)

Juan Smith (Free State Cheetahs, uncapped)

Craig Davidson (Sharks, 2)

Gcobani Bobo (Lions, uncapped)

Jaco van der Westhuyzen (Bulls, 2)

Scotland:

Glen Metcalfe (Glasgow)

Chris Paterson (Edinburgh)

Andy Craig (Orrell)

Andrew Henderson (Glasgow)

Kenny Logan (London Wasps)

Gregor Townsend (The Borders)

Bryan Redpath (Captain, Sale Sharks)

Simon Taylor (Edinburgh)

Andrew Mower (Newcastle Falcons)

Jason White (Sale Sharks)

Nathan Hines (Edinburgh)

Scott Murray (Edinburgh)

Bruce Douglas (The Borders)

Gordon Bulloch (Glasgow)

Gavin Kerr (Leeds Tykes)

Reserves:

Rob Russell (Saracens)

Gordon Mcllwham (Bordeaux Begles)

John Petrie (Glasgow)

Martin Leslie (Edinburgh)

Mike Blair (Edinburgh)

Gordon Ross (Leeds Tykes)

James McLaren (Bordeaux Begles)