All Black coach John Hart has instructed his team not to let the South Africans slow down the first Tri-Nations Test at Ellis Park today. The New Zealanders are particularly concerned about deliberate Springbok delaying tactics, a strategy former coach Andre Markgraaff admits the South Africans employed in last year's Test at the same venue.

Hart is adamant that deliberate delays are illegal and should be penalised.

"We did this . . . especially at the scrums," said Markgraaff, who would not elaborate on the exact nature of these deliberate delays.

Hart is still smarting from allegations by Springbok coach Carel du Plessis that the All Blacks rely heavily on professional fouls and held talks ahead of the Test with Peter Marshall, the Australian who will referee the series opener, about the South African delaying tactics.

There are other points of contention as the pressure builds on both sides to record a victory in the Test.

The South Africans also want to talk to Marshall about what they believe is an illegal All Black tactic of pushing too early in the scrums and New Zealand loose head prop Craig Dowd's habit of having a hand on the ground when pressure is applied in the scrums.