Whiz kid James O'Connor stood to toe to toe with veteran flanker Phil Waugh on Thursday to leave Wallabies coach Robbie Deans convinced the youngster was ready to take on the mighty All Blacks in Saturday week's must-win Tri Nations clash in Sydney.

O'Connor made no apologies for his brazen show of aggression after Wallabies scrum coach Patricio Noriega was forced to intervene - issuing a stern "no punches" warning - as the teenage rookie shaped to square off with Waugh during another lively Australian training session at Coogee Oval.

"It's pretty competitive and I don't think either of us wanted to back down, which is good," O'Connor said.

"Our approach has been we've got to bring a bit more mongrel to the next game and step up the physicality and that's what we brought to training today. It was pretty intense."

It was not the first time this Test campaign that emotions have boiled over, with hooker Stephen Moore and prop Ben Alexander trading blows and Waugh ending a session with a bloodied head before last week's loss to the Springboks in Cape Town.

"It's been that way throughout to be honest, and that's good. They all want more," coach Deans said on Thursday.

With Stirling Mortlock ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury, O'Connor is being billed as Australia's saviour following his dazzling display as the skipper's backline replacement for the final 50 minutes of Saturday's Test at Newlands.

Deans may yet opt to play Ryan Cross at outside centre in place of Mortlock, but appears to be leaning towards starting O'Connor at fullback and moving Adam Ashley-Cooper into the midfield.

The poise and composure O'Connor showed at Newlands just three weeks after his nightmare against the All Blacks at Eden Park convinced Deans the gifted 19-year-old is up to the pressures of starting a do-or-die Bledisloe Cup encounter.

"It was a remarkable response," Deans said.

"He's always had the talent but he's a young man so he's learning in the Test arena, which is very hard.

"Most young men get to learn the game at club level, where they can go back and seek the wise counsel of some elders, and the support and confidence.

"Whereas James is playing his learning experience in a Test match where he's got millions watching. The scrutiny is enormous, the consequence of error is often enormous, so it's tough.

"But he's shown the sort of courage he's got and the capability ... He wouldn't see it as intense pressure; he wants to be out there and he's shown on the weekend that he's more than ready."

Indeed, O'Connor insists his Auckland ordeal is now well behind him.

"I tried to do a bit too much, but that's over now and I've moved on and I'm looking forward to the next challenges," he said.

"I've definitely got a bit of confidence at the moment."

Deans is also set to name Rocky Elsom in his 22-man squad on Tuesday for his first Wallabies appearance since last year's Tri Nations tournament.

The powerhouse flanker has been frustrated by deep knee bruising since his man-of-the-match performance in Leinster's European Cup victory over Leicester seven weeks ago, but was able to complete his first full session with the Wallabies on Thursday.

"He's pretty excited to be back," Deans said.

The coach also says star five-eighth Matt Giteau is in no doubt for the All Blacks showdown despite sitting out Thursday's training with a corked thigh.

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