Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will name his team on Thursday to play South Africa in this Saturday's crucial Tri-Nations Test in Durban (2200 AEST).

Deans will be hoping key forwards Rocky Elsom and James Horwill have recovered sufficiently from foot injuries to be able to provide Australia's much needed aggression as the Wallabies seek a first win in the Republic since 2000.

Drew Mitchell is expected to replace Adam Ashley-Cooper at fullback, while Sam Cordingley is likely to fill in for injured halfback Luke Burgess.

On the bench, Lachie Turner and Timana Tahu will come into calculations with Mitchell's promotion to the starting side.

Australia need to win at least one of their two Tests in South Africa to stay alive in the race for the Tri-Nations title.

The Springboks need to win both with bonus points to keep their faint hopes alive.

Wallabies set-piece coach Michael Foley, who will join the NSW Waratahs next year, said Elsom and Horwill's availability would be a massive boost as the Australians battle the powerful Boks scrum and lineout.

"If you look at what the Springboks did in the last game, they took on New Zealand, who've been the most successful scrum in the world in the last three years, and they had them under severe pressure from the very first scrum of the game and they delivered 100 per cent scrum ball themselves," Foley said.

"That's something that they haven't done in other Tests this year so we believe on the back of last week's performance this is the best scrum in the world and Matfield in the lineout speaks for himself."

Foley said the Wallabies were itching to make amends for their only loss this year, 39-10 to New Zealand three weeks ago.

"The challenge is a big one but the way that the guys have approached the training, we've been probably fairly annoyed with how we fronted up in that Auckland Test and that's been motivation enough," he said.

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