Sam Cordingley has played just 28 minutes of Test rugby in the past two months but the new again Wallabies halfback has never really known a preparation any different.

Cordingley, 32, has nudged Brett Sheehan as the replacement for the injured Luke Burgess and will be part of an Australian run-on side for just the sixth time in his 19th Test.

"It is one of those things I've been used to in the past," said Cordingley, who has been a replacement for Burgess in four Tests this season.

"At a Test level, I look back at when I first had my debut run-on in 2000, there was probably about four or five months between playing football.

"That's the nature of what we've got in Australian rugby, not much football between Test and Super 14 football.

"And again last year at the World Cup, there wasn't much football before then.

"It is something I have a lot of experience with, so it's not too much of a concern.

"I feel physically very good. I have been training well, and obviously been involved with the Test team for the last eight or nine weeks."

Cordingley, who will be one of eight Wallabies playing their first Test on South African soil in Durban on Saturday, experienced a six-year break between his first year of Test rugby in 2000 and his next round of appearances in 2006.

The precision-passing Queenslander had a stint in Europe between 2002-2005 before his return to the Test arena was disrupted by a foot injury.

"He probably wasn't that hopeful through Super rugby that he was going to get any more international rugby," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said.

"He's a really good team man and he's a bloke who's been around for a while.

"He's experienced and he's obviously really going to relish getting the opportunity to start a Test match again and there's a window of opportunity for him and (reserve) Brett (Sheehan) now.

"They'll be looking to make the most of it."

France-bound Cordingley now has the chance for an unexpected international swansong.

"I said earlier in the year I was surprised to be a part of the squad, given the fact I am heading overseas, my age and a lot of those factors," he said.

"It's been great to be involved again. The opportunity has presented itself to start and that's a great feeling."

Another player surprised to be starting at ABSA Stadium on Saturday is tight-head prop Matt Dunning, who expertly fended off questions from the South African media on Friday about criticism of the Australian scrum.

"Probably some of that criticism was well justified years ago, so we're just working hard at the moment and over the last two years to rectify that," Dunning said.

"During the Tri-Nations, and I haven't played a lot of it, but our scrum has been going well. Not great, but fairly well.

"I was surprised I got a run, now I have to go out there and perform."

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