Former South African coach Peter de Villiers has claimed the All Blacks are "ripe for the picking" in 2017.
De Villiers, who is no stranger to inflammatory comments, coached the Springboks to five wins in 11 matches against the All Blacks during his tenure between the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups.
Despite South Africa registering just one win over New Zealand since 2011, de Villiers says the lack of a true leadership core after the departure of the 'magnificent seven' at the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup means they're easier to "divide and conquer".
"The All Blacks have lots of experience, but it seems as if the game management wasn't passed on from the old generation to the new," de Villiers wrote in his column for Kwese Sports.
"A big reason could be that the bulk of the All Blacks' team was made up from the then very successful Crusaders team. These days the leadership of the team is distributed over a wider spectrum of the franchises, and that opens the door for divisive thinking."
Super Rugby has come under fire this week, particularly from the South African corner, with former player Brendan Venter claiming they should head north to play their domestic rugby.
Instead of following down that line, de Villiers said the competition actually provided insight for the republic into how the New Zealand era is moving forward, post-Richie McCaw.
"The All Blacks were the leaders in how they handled the off-the-ball situations, the little scuffles. They never let opponents get under their skin.
"But in this year's Super Rugby competition it's been quite noticeable to see how easy they can be drawn into things off the ball that have nothing to do with the game."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has received plaudits for how he's transitioned the side since winning the World Cup in the UK in 2015.
But de Villiers says they've lost their edge, something the Springboks can gain by pure intimidation.
"During the Richie McCaw era the All Blacks operated at a different level when it came to their focus on the field and how they would outsmart their opponents. That meant that a lot of the referees were sympathetic towards them, and allowed them to live on the edge and get all the 50-50 calls.
"But with the All Blacks saying goodbye to a few leaders over the last few years (McCaw, Dan Carter, Keven Mealamu, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith), and if what I see and perceive is true, then the way to try and beat them is by intimidation, while focusing on keeping your own discipline."
The words are likely to be music for Warren Gatland's British & Irish Lions who head to New Zealand in June, and who will likely select a hefty pack for the Tour.
The Springboks will then get a shot at the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship which kicks off later in the year following the end of the Super Rugby season.
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