Skipper Stirling Mortlock says the Wallabies have pretty high expectations for their Tri-Nations rugby tournament prospects but the team is still in a learning phase under new coach Robbie Deans and needs to keep improving.

Australia have enjoyed an unblemished record this season with one victory over Ireland and two over France in the first matches of Deans's tenure.

World champions South Africa and reigning Tri-Nations titleholders New Zealand will meet this Saturday for the second straight week before Australia opens their campaign against the Springboks in Perth on Saturday week.

"We're coming back from a fair amount of disappointment from the (2007) World Cup and our results last year," Mortlock said on Thursday.

"As a team, we have pretty high expectations and we'd like nothing more than to be extremely competitive in the Tri-Nations tournament and, the end result of that, hoping being a victory.

"It's a very, very tough tournament and an extremely competitive environment, so basically we've got to improve as a team.

"We need to improve our cohesion in attack. What we're trying to do is to play what's in front of us.

"A lot of combinations we've had this year are relatively fresh. They are starting to combine pretty well, so to keep on improving that is a big key.

"Likewise, I think our set piece and what we do at the break down, the physicality at the break down, those two facets of the game are pretty important to make sure we keep on improving.

"We've got a few new guys and a few faces back in the squad of 30 for the Tri-Nations and there's still a fair bit of learning to go through.

"Having said that, the improvement we've shown through the domestic Tests so far has been positive.

"We go into the South Africa match pretty confident that we have improved and there's confidence that we are heading in the right direction, but in the knowledge that we need to try and keep improving."

Outside centre Mortlock believed the infusion of new backline blood in halfback Luke Burgess, winger Peter Hynes and centres Berrick Barnes and Ryan Cross was already having a positive impact on the Wallabies.

"I think the new guys, especially those whose first (Test) season have started extremely well, you only have to look at how much those guys have contributed to positive performances."

"They've all made contributions to our games and I think the whole group are in a good space mentally."

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