“It makes the Lions extremely dangerous. He has experienced success here as a player and coach. He knows the conditions and won a series here,” said De Villiers.

“I’m not at all surprised by his appointment and consider it a setback for us.”

Many Springbok fans still believe their side blew the series in 1997, when inexperienced coach Carel du Plessis made a number of peculiar selections.

However, South Africans have never been particularly generous in their praise of opponents.

Former Wallaby scrumhalf Nick Farr-Jones recalled on a visit to Cape Town on Thursday how South African fans told him prior to the test against the Boks at Newlands in 1992 that the world champion Aussies would not be considered to have won anything until they have beaten South Africa.

“We beat them by a record score – 26-3,” Farr-Jones told a group of school children at Trafalgar High School.

Farr-Jones was paying a visit in the Cape in support of the JAG-foundation, who initiate sporting programmes at schools in the Republic where sport is not traditionally played.

The Lions tour is being eagerly anticipated, but before that the Springboks have a few big challenges to negotiate.

De Villiers, for one, is not buying stories of a “weakened Wales” ahead of next month’s two-test tour.

“It’s a very strong side coming over here. Most of those guys were involved in Wales’ Six Nations campaign. At this stage I consider it my only challenge,” he said.

South Africa name a 45-man training squad on Saturday night, but it will not include players that will be involved in the Super14 semifinals.

Those players will join up later once they have completed their Super14 commitments.