But his style has also drawn considerable attention from officials, resulting in yellow cards for killing the ball on consecutive weekends against Wales and Ireland.

White believes there is little wrong with Burger’s play, however, and believes his critics should lay off the current darling of South African rugby.

“We are dampening something that is great in the game. We are talking about a 21-year-old openside flanker who has turned rugby upside down in one year,” he said.

“Players are doing drills to practise what Schalk does instinctively – like bouncing straight back up and competing for the ball. People are trying to practise that skill.

“But people are putting the nail into him. He is not allowed to do things that other players are getting away with because someone has said he has a huge impact on the game.”

Referee Paul Honiss was responsible for sin-binning Burger during Saturday’s 17-12 defeat by Ireland and the Kiwi also incurred White’s wrath for allowing a contentious 22nd-minute try.

White felt Ronan O’Gara’s try should not have been given but in a bid to avoid an ongoing conflict with Honiss, has consigned the matter to history.

He said: “I didn’t want to get involved in a slanging match after the game. Paul Honiss did approach me at the post-match function and tried to explain what happened as he saw it. I said it was irrelevant.

“He had his view but hearing it was not going to change what I thought or the result. I said let’s leave it. Over the next couple of years Paul Honiss will referee another game of ours and I don’t want to develop a Paul Honiss v South Africa argument.”

South Africa resume their tour at Twickenham on Saturday in what will be the first meaningful fixture of Andy Robinson’s reign as England coach.

The world champions have been stricken by injury and have undergone a radical overhaul since lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy but White believes the match is still the toughest of assignments.

“England have a brilliant record at Twickenham. People can say they are rebuilding and have a new coach, but that is immaterial. We are playing England at Twickenham and they will not be doing us any favours,” he said.

“They have been the leaders for a long time in terms of defensive capabilities. How we are going to break their defensive line is what we will be working on this week.”