South Africa have put a focus on the breakdown battle ahead of Saturday's first test against New Zealand in Johannesburg, and will have a few tricks up their sleeve in what will be a key area of the game, says hooker Malcolm Marx.
The world champion Springboks and All Blacks play in a four-test series starting this weekend, the first three in South Africa before a final outing in Baltimore in the United States in what is being styled as the 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' series.
The Springboks have won five of their last six meetings with their old foes, including inflicting a record test defeat on the All Blacks last time out with a humiliating 43-10 win in Wellington.
But the visitors are now under new coach Dave Rennie and Marx knows winning quick ball at the breakdown is key to how New Zealand want to play.
"We're doing a lot of analysis and seeing where we can be better from previous games, and obviously identifying the threats they pose in that area," Marx said.
"We're working really hard at the things we need to improve on and bearing in mind the small things they do around the breakdown.
"We've also been looking at our own opportunities there, which we've been working hard on this past week."
Marx also believes what happened in Wellington a year ago is ancient history and will have no bearing on the contest at Ellis Park on Saturday.
"I definitely don't think we have the edge because of last year. That's in the past and we've got to deal with what is now in front of us," he said.
"We know the All Blacks will come at us guns blazing, and we've worked extremely hard. We can't rely on what happened in the past to take us through this game.
"We've got to make sure that we rely on all the work over the last couple of weeks to give us the best chance on the weekend."
South Africa and New Zealand are ranked number one and two in the world respectively heading into the weekend fixture.
