Bakkies Botha has been many things in his time as a Springbok rugby player that started against France in Marseilles in 2002, but seldom has he taken onto the field the additional important role he foresees for himself in Saturday's clash with Wales in Cardiff.
The massive Blue Bull, who by the way is looking trimmer than ever courtesy of the training regime he put himself while out of the game injured, says the Wesh are going to know after this match that they have played against him.
He repeated in Cardiff for international media ears what he said in Cape Town at the start of the Springbok preparation week -- someone is going to pay for the frustration he has felt sitting out over the past few months, and he intends the Welsh to be among the recipients.
But if there is a tiny small miniscule window of opportunity for Wales, it lies in the Springbok selection at tighthead, where John Smit packs down in the No 3 jersey for the first time at this level and with only three matches in the position in the past decade or so.
Some of the Bok management members have said they are surprised at the fuss being made about Smit's switch, but unless they live in Cloud Cuckooland they must surely know that the concern is shared by many highly respected members of the coaching business of which they are part.
If Smit buckles in the scrums on Saturday, and with no experienced back-up on the bench, then what are the Boks going to do when they get to Twickenham in two weeks' time, particularly given that Smit cannot be dropped from the team as he is the tour captain?
Moving him back to hooker, which would be the obvious option, would not only set himself on a collision course with Bismarck du Plessis, it would also be an admission of defeat.
But the one man other than Smit himself who can prevent it happening is adamant that it won't happen. That is Botha himself.
"Just as long as John keeps his back straight, then there is no way he is going backwards," said Botha on Thursday.
"I will be scrumming behind John, I have played with him for several seasons, I have huge respect for him both as a leader and a player. He has played a bit of tighthead in France recently, he also played there earlier in his career, so it is not as if he has no experience of the position.
"But you can be sure that I will be there to put my entire body weight behind John, and if he just keeps his back straight, then he won't be going backwards. Life is full of big challenges, and this is one of them."
Referring to his own comeback to test rugby after missing out since the start of the home Tri-Nations season, Botha said he felt like he was starting afresh again.
"I feel like a new guy coming in, I feel like Earl Rose and Heinrich Brussow (the two new caps) must feel, I feel refreshed. I am now fully recovered from my knee injury and I feel like my body is really looking forward to making some contact over the next few weeks. I don't know how long I will be on the field, I have not given myself a mental cut-off point. But the doctor and the coaches will monitor my performance and how I look on the field and take it from there.
"What I can tell you is that during the time on the field I am going to make sure that the Welsh feel the presence of Bakkies, they will know I am there. I am looking forward to giving my all for my country and my teammates. We won't be underestimating Wales though, they are the Six Nations champions and we have respect for them as a team. When they were in our country in June they were very physical and on their home field here in Cardiff we expect them to be even more so."
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