The Springboks' close-run thing against Wales on Sunday has led to predictable calls for the bench to do its rescue job from the first minute against Fiji.

Given that the notion of going through more of the 17-16 purgatory the Boks put us through made me consider finally writing my will, the majority's view is understandable.

But it's still a knee-jerk reaction in the context of the Boks' approach to the World Cup. Due to their not getting enough games under the belt during the Tri-Nations, the Boks have, rightly or wrongly, decided to use the World Cup pool stages to play themselves into shape.

The important first phase of that plan was weathering a spirited assault from Wales in the first game, which was managed against a performance which would have toppled many a top nation.

So, mission accomplished. Now for Fiji, Namibia and Samoa.

The islanders may have gone top of Pool D thanks to their impressive wins over our spirited but ultimately hapless neighbours Namibia, but I'm not convinced they are better teams than Wales.

Bok coach Peter de Villiers, maybe because the game plan hasn't changed in seven years, seems to think his ageing first team don't need much more time playing together.

But the one-paced stuff in the first half against Wales suggested those diesel engines will need time to warm to their task, so they have to play themselves into form.

World Cups are lost when teams go into them with a certain plan, and then deviate drastically once they start feeling pressure at the tournament. A classic example has to be the All Blacks.

After another four years building a World Cup team, Graham Henry and Co are suddenly no longer sure who their best locks, scrumhalf, centres, wings and fullback are.

For those demanding significant changes in the Boks' next starting line-up, the injuries to Jean de Villiers, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana should placate them as none of them will play against Fiji.

But people would probably prefer that the likes of John Smit, Pierre Spies, Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn make way.

Smit is probably the toughest decision because, as the team captain for the campaign, he has looked pedestrian.

It doesn't help that his proposed replacement Bismarck du Plessis currently plays three roles in the team: hooker, auxiliary openside flank and the go-forward merchant to replace Juan Smith.

The wind appears to have gone out of Spies's sails - hopefully something will spark like it did in the end-of-year tour last year.

Du Preez and Morne Steyn fall under the BMT category, where the bigger the match the more they will be aroused.

If you want an example of that player, think Frans Steyn against Wales on Sunday. I've been on Fransie's case for months because one could count on less than the fingers of one hand how many decent games he'd had since the last World Cup.

Back where it all started on Sunday, he was the bulletproof Frans Steyn of old.

Du Preez, whose mouthing off at the end of the Wales win suggests he's in a combative mood, is simply rusty.

Given the way the Boks play, Morne Steyn's kicks will be as crucial as they were against Wales.

This is hard to swallow, but the World Cup is not the place to try something new.