John Smit and his team may have had all kinds of unflattering monikers bestowed upon them, but Springbok coach Peter de Villiers remains adamant they are the real deal.

Having been called the Lite-Boks and B-Boks, along with the usual under-strength and second-stringers, the Bok coach again dismissed these unwanted tags.

Speaking to the media, ahead of his inexperienced side's Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks, he insisted the result is not a foregone conclusion.

De Villiers on Thursday named a team that shows four changes from the starting XV that lost 20-39 to the Wallabies last week.

The fresh-faced starting team contains 11 players with fewer than 10 caps.
 
De Villiers described the team as "the best, who can do the job" and the youngsters had the chance to do "something special" against the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday.

De Villiers, who admitted the Tri-Nations had caused him some headaches in this World Cup year, spoke of the opportunities for the youngsters.
 
"In an ideal world you wouldn't want these games to be played before the World Cup, because they can be detrimental with the workload that's on the players already," De Villiers said.
 
"But then again you look for the opportunities.

"New Zealand and Australia, what better preparation can you get.

"If a guy comes good in those games you know he can go to the World Cup and be an asset to the team."
 
De Villiers also talked up the team's potential to win on Saturday against a far more experienced All Black side.

"Caps don't win you games, it's the form of the players," the Bok coach said, adding: "The team we will have on the park is the team we think is the best to do the job.
 
"There have been some frank exchanges this week and the players know what is expected of them and that this is their opportunity.

"There'll be a lot of guys on the field who'll want to put their hands up to make the most of this."