Springboks coach Peter de Villiers will meet the International Rugby Board's referees boss Paddy O'Brien next week in an attempt to resolve an escalating row over match officials.

De Villiers publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Australian Matt Goddard's refereeing of the breakdown during South Africa's 19-0 loss to New Zealand at Newlands last Saturday.

His comments earned a terse rebuke from O'Brien this week, with the IRB official accusing the Boks of going to the media rather than through the appropriate channels.

De Villiers and Springboks team manager Andy Marinos will meet O'Brien in Johannesburg next Thursday, two days before the South Africans host Australia at Ellis Park.

"This is an opportunity to discuss issues with the IRB face-to-face," Marinos said in a statement on Friday.

"There are a number of technical matters we'd like to raise but there are two issues we want to straighten out.

"We'd like to discuss our request to meet referees in the company of opposition coaches before Test matches and correct the suggestions that we have failed in our duties to provide refereeing reports to the IRB.

"Let me categorically deny that.

"We have enormous sympathy for referees who in some cases have had to manage blowing as many as five different sets of laws this season

"Its only natural that wed want to talk to them about interpretations in such a complex environment."

Meanwhile, South Africa are reportedly seeking to have next year's Tri-Nations draw restructured because they believe the current one favours Australia and New Zealand.

The Springboks played three Tests in New Zealand and Australia this year while the All Blacks travelled to the Republic for one match and the Wallabies for two.

The Springboks want New Zealand's two-Test trip next year to be extended with a bye between the matches.

"It (travelling) will always favour them (Australia and New Zealand)," de Villiers said.

"When they come here, the time difference favours them.

"They gain a day but we lose a day when we fly there. Then you also have to play, for financial reasons, on consecutive Saturdays."

On the field, the Springboks believe their best chance of scoring four tries for a bonus-point victory over Australia in Durban on Saturday will not come from throwing caution to the wind.

The Boks need to win their final two Tri-Nations Tests against Australia with bonus points to have any chance of claiming the title.

"We know we need to win both games with bonus points but again we won't be throwing the ball around all over in the game," centre Jean de Villiers told South African media in Durban.

"It's about being structured in what we want to achieve and I believe then we can get the tries."

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