Nikita Rukavytsya is several things most of the Socceroos squad are not - young, inexperienced and born outside of Australia - but he could be an important player in South Africa.

The Ukrainian-born 22-year-old was capped for just the third time on Monday night, when he came on in the second half of the scrappy 2-1 win over Zealand in the MCG farewell game.

But, as one of just three strikers among the 28 players who flew out for South Africa on Wednesday, he seems more likely to play a significant role than any other squad member of comparable experience.

Particularly so if star attacking player Harry Kewell fails to hit top form or fitness after the well-documented injury struggles that have so far blighted his preparation.

Rukavytsya's chief asset is his pace, which gives him a strong point of difference from coach Pim Verbeek other main striking option, tall target man Josh Kennedy.

But the youngster, yet to score in national colours, was coy on Wednesday when asked about what sort of role he expected to play in South Africa.

"I'm not really worried about that, I'm just happy to be part of the team," he said.

"If I get a chance obviously I'll do my best to help the team achieve whatever we want to achieve."

He was unsure whether he was in the frame for Australia's opening match against Germany in Durban on June 13, planning to use the intervening training camp and warm-up matches against Denmark and the USA as auditions.

"Every day's important, even training, everybody's fighting for the positions and training's intense, so we've got to see what happens," he said.

"I've just got to work hard and show that I'm ready and we'll see what happens."

Rukavytsya said he would be happy just to be there, given his surprise at his rapid rise through the soccer ranks since arriving in Australia with his family at age 14.

"I wasn't really expecting any of this to happen so quick," he said.

"When I finished at the AIS and started playing for Perth (in the A-League in 2006/07), I got involved with the Olympic team and wasn't really expecting it.

"I went to the (2008) Olympics and it was an amazing experience for me and then I started to get involved with the Socceroos.

"It's amazing just to be around the boys and all the experienced players, it's a great feeling."

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