After winning in Dubai in Round One and then losing to New Zealand in George at the weekend, the South Africans share the lead with the Kiwis on the overall IRB standings, with 36 points - ahead of England and Fiji in a distant third place on 24 points.

It is a good start for Treu's team, a side determined to launch a serious challenge on the IRB title - after years of just winning the occasional tournament.

But after such a fine start Treu will be required to rebuild his well-drilled team, with as many as eight of the 12 players that did duty in Dubai and George likely to be called up by their Super 14 franchises.

Treu, after going down 24-17 to an impressive New Zealand outfit in a thrilling Final in George at the weekend, admitted that the team's [prospects in the remainder of the series will depend on which players he will retain.

"We enjoyed having played against New Zealand in the finals," he said of the Dubai and George tournaments.

"Yes, it's a good start for us. But it's also a concern for me, because I know New Zealand came here [to George] with a new squad. They are going to have so much more confidence when they play in their home tournament [in Wellington, on February 2 and 3].

"And it is all going to depend on what kind of squad we are going to take to the next two tournaments [Wellington and San Diego, USA, a week later]," Treu said about his team's prospects for the remainder of the IRB series.

Those players who represented the South African team in Dubai and George and are likely to be called up for Super 14 duty include captain Jonathan Mokuena and Thobela Mdaka (both Lions), Kabamba Floors and Philip Burger (both Cheetahs), Stefan Basson and Danwel Demas (both Bulls) and possibly Ryno Benjamin (Stormers).

That will rip the heart out of a team that - along with the Kiwis - looked the most impressive on display in the first two rounds.

It will mean Treu will have to rely on the likes of Schalk van der Merwe and Marius Schoeman to provide the experience, while youngsters like Jovan Bowles and Dusty Noble will have to step up to the plate.

Noble, in particular, looked a bit gun shy in the George Final against the Kiwis, a fact acknowledged by Treu.

"We had too many players who had an off day," he said about the loss to New Zealand.

"But all credit to New Zealand. They really played well and outplayed us.

"We missed too many tackles and it just shows you again that when you come to semi-finals and finals and your defence is not up to standard, you are not gong to win the tournament," Treu said.

He admitted that some of the players may have struggled to cope with the pressure of being favourites in their home tournament and as a result made too many unforced errors - such as the numerous dropped passes, with Noble one of the big culprits.

"It might be under pressure," he said of the mistakes. "I think there was one or two players for whom the moment was just too big," he added.