Victor Matfield (File)

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Wellington - Recent history will count for nothing come Sunday's Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Australia, according to defending champions South Africa.

The Springboks have lost three of their last four games against the Wallabies, former two-time winners of the World Cup, including the final game of the Tri-Nations, which the Australians won for the first time in 10 years.

But Bok vice-captain Victor Matfield said those results meant nothing in the context of Sunday's do-or-die game.

"You can feel the pressure building up to the game," the towering lock said. "It's all about handling that pressure, taking it into the game and using it to your advantage by getting energy from that.

"I truly believe everything that's in the past, is in the past. It doesn't count for anything going in to tomorrow's game."

Matfield joked that the locals might even be cheering for the South Africans rather than the old enemy Australia.

"It feels like they're cheering us," he said. "It's the first time I've been walking around New Zealand and everyone is saying 'good luck' and 'I hope you do well'.

"I think we might be favourites. I think they hate the Aussies more than they hate us, it feels like."

Centre Jean de Villiers warned that the Australian backline was always a danger, but expressed confidence that he and his teammates could handle any attack.

"They've got individuals that can cut you from anywhere on the field," he said. "Luckily for us it's a team sport and we've got quite a big pack of forwards in front of us as well. Hopefully that can help us.

"We have looked at their games and what they tend to do in certain areas of the field so hopefully we can shut them out."

De Villiers added that Australia's gameplan was not always the easiest to read given the unpredictable nature of playmaker Quade Cooper.

"I think the last word you use when you talk about Quade Cooper is predictable. You can expect anything from him," said De Villiers, whose career has been troubled by a raft of serious injuries.

"I think it's fair to say it is the biggest game of my career," the centre said. "Everyone dreams of playing in a World Cup and definitely getting to the knockout stages is something special."