Springboks cautious of Barbarians' 'X-factor' threat in Gqeberha showdown

Although the Barbarians suffered a heavy 54-7 defeat to the Springboks in Cape Town last year and typically have only a short window to prepare together, Davids believes their unique style of play and wealth of international talent make them a formidable opponent capable of testing any side in world rugby.

"With the Barbarians, you have to understand their background, the way their squad is put together, and you cannot underestimate them because they are a bunch of experienced players, many of them with X factor, so you don't want them to get on a roll," he said.

Davids believes the visitors, led by Scott Robertson and Felipe Contepomi, will remain faithful to the adventurous rugby philosophy that has defined the Barbarians throughout their storied history.

"The Barbarians have a unique dynamic that goes back decades - they like to entertain, which is encouraged by clever coaches who pick players who can do just that.

"Because they don't have much time to prepare as a group, they stick to a style that has worked for them forever - they want to give the ball air, they want to create opportunities by a mixture of structure and attacking adventure."

The Springboks have opted to conduct the bulk of their preparations in Johannesburg before heading to the Eastern Cape later this week, a move Davids said was driven largely by a desire for continuity.

"We had a training camp here in Joburg and felt that we would continue our preparation for the games in a place where we have grown comfortable.

"It has gone smoothly as we bring what we discussed in the alignment camps onto the practice pitch. It has been about setting standards and the game plans we are working on."

Davids stressed that the Springboks' main focus for Saturdays game is measuring their own development following an extended period of preparation.

"It is important that we have balance and control in our game. We must transfer what we have been training into a match situation so we can see what works and what needs improvement."