Skipper John Smit says reigning world rugby union champions South Africa must improve if they want to retain the title next year in New Zealand.

"That was not a good performance and certainly not rugby that will win us another World Cup," he admitted after a 44-31 Tri-Nations triumph over Australia at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Defences leaked alarmingly in a nine-try game as the Springboks overcame a disastrous start during which they twice trailed by 14 points to seal victory through a JP Pietersen try one minute from full-time.

A 75-point Test would suggest the 43 000 Pretoria crowd was treated to something special, but many tries were born out of mistakes that would embarrass a club player, never mind some of the best in the world.

"Games get complicated when you make starts like that," said Smit as he recalled how the Boks conceded two tries within five minutes of the start and it could have been three as a Drew Mitchell effort was ruled out.

"We were lucky we were that poor for the first part of the game and not the last two minutes. We had time to recover," he said with thoughts of two late tries conceded against New Zealand last weekend in the back of his mind.

"The start was not how we would have scripted it. Thankfully we had a couple of guys who had seen that movie before. A less experienced side would have panicked," Smit told a news conference.

Coach Peter de Villiers, who came to Pretoria under pressure after three losses to New Zealand and one to Australia, was relieved after a victory that lifted the 2007 world champions off the bottom of the table.

"You will never play a perfect game. Last week we were a lot more intense while this week we were more composed.

"We were afraid to make mistakes against the All Blacks in Soweto and it showed in our play. That was not the case today and I think we gained from that."

Criticised for leaving weary warriors like Smit on the field last Saturday, De Villiers defended his decision to replace the skipper after 60 minutes at Loftus with impressive Chiliboy Ralepelle.

"We were in complete control against Australia with or without the ball. When you have that sort of control it is easier to make substitutions like bringing Chiliboy on," he said.

De Villiers defended error-prone 2007 World Rugby Player of the Year Bryan Habana, who gifted James O'Connor the third Australia try by failing to hold a deep kick-off.

"Guys like John Smit, Victor Matfield and Bryan have exceeded the maximum game time they should have played this season. They have forgotten what it is like to feel good."

The coach believes the Test between the countries in Bloemfontein next Saturday will be a tighter, lower-scoring affair as the Boks seek another victory that could clinch second place behind runaway champions New Zealand.

"This defeat does not make Australia a bad team. We did well to put presure on their key players but they are dangerous when they get space and we must be aware of that again next week."

"They have got some good dancers in the team, guys who can dance without hearing music. We will have to be a lot tighter defensively if we want to shut them out."