Despite a firm directive to referees to clamp down on breakdown transgressions, Wales are still having sleepless nights over South Africa's master poacher Heinrich Brussow.

The Springboks and Welsh go head-to-head in Wellington next Sunday, September 11, - for what most pundits regard as the Pool D decider, even though it is the opening match of their respective campaigns.

The Boks and Wales are firm favourites to advance to the play-offs - although Samoa and Fiji will disagree - and winning the opening match is likely to set up the victorious team for an easier quarterfinal.

Wales defensive coach Shaun Edwards, speaking to the media on Sunday, pointed to the breakdown directive from IRB referees boss Paddy O'Brien as one of the key elements of this World Cup.

Edwards welcomed the announcement by O'Brien that there will be a more stringent policing of the breakdown and offside during the World Cup.

"I'm a big believer that the World Cup should be decided on the team that scores the most tries if possible," Edwards told a media scrum at the Welsh headquarters in Wellington.

"Unfortunately if people are infringing and stopping you getting tries then you need to be penalised for that."

Despite the additional focus on the breakdown, Edwards feels South Africa still pose a number of major threats to the Welsh team, and listed Brussow as one of those.

"The Springboks, on paper are looking like the team of 2009 again," Edwards said in reference to the Springboks' series-winning performance against the British and Irish Lions.

That same Bok team also swept through the Tri-Nations, included three wins against New Zealand.

Edwards added that the Boks' openside flank, Brussow, had been one player who has not lost his effectiveness at stealing ball - despite the changes to how the breakdowns are being refereed.

He admitted the Bok loose forward would be a key figure in next Sunday's showdown in Wellington.

"He's a genuine seven [No.7, even though Brussow plays in the No.6 jersey, a South African practice] and a world-class seven and they are very hard to come by," said Edwards.

"He's a real snaffler on the floor.

"In 2009 [during the B&I Lions series] the way the game was refereed then you didn't have to release when they hit the floor so that was to his advantage.

"But to his credit he is still turning ball over under the new interpretations.

"He has adapted his style and technique.

"It's going to be a big challenge for our loose forwards but that's what you would expect playing against the world champions."

Edwards admitted that the focus on the breakdown will also affect how his team plays.

"We are very conscious of discipline," the defensive guru said.

"It's a massive priority on our list going into every game.

"We know we've had problems with discipline in the past but we've worked very, very hard on it and it's something that we stress massively within the Wales set-up. If Paddy has emphasised that's how it's going to be refereed I applaud him."