De Villiers and SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux were dragged in front of Parliament's portfolio committee on sport and recreation, after the Boks lost both matches of their Tri-Nations away leg against Australia and New Zealand last month.
"We need a killer instinct," said De Villiers.
"At the moment we lack the ability to land a knock-out blow when our opponents are against the ropes.
"There is an extreme fear of hazardous rugby and the standard of certain players is also a concern."
Members of parliament also asked De Villiers and Roux about the training camp in Rustenburg and why the best players weren't on tour in Australasia.
The pair maintained that the camp was used to rehabilitate injured players, and say they have medical certificates to prove the veracity of their claims.
"I could not go against the guy [medical doctor], whom I pay a lot of money for his opinion, and say I don't need your opinion," said De Villiers.
"In a normal year we would risk five or six of those injured players in the Tri-Nations, but this is not a normal year.
"Next year people will forget two losses but for four years people will remember who the champion of the world is."
De Villiers added that he believes experience will be crucial at the World Cup, and denied that older players are being picked on sentiment.
"We first decide what we want before we look at the names," he said.
"There has never been a sentimental selection. I am 90 per cent sure that we can bring back the honours of the World Cup."
After four years at the helm, De Villiers even said he deserved a medal for his efforts.
"And a big one too," the coach added boldly.
The Springboks were set to face the Wallabies in Durban on August 13 and the All Blacks in Port Elizabeth on August 20 before the start of their World Cup campaign in New Zealand in September.
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