Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe says he was devastated to have to watch the Australian side's lineout fall apart in Saturday night's heartbreaking loss to South Africa.

The lineout chief rolled his ankle early in the second half of the 44-31 loss at Loftus Versfeld and had to watch from the sideline as the Wallabies sacrificed some prime attacking chances.

Four times in the match the Australians lost their throw but it was where and when that proved telling.

On attack and within a converted try of the Springboks, they melted down in the 66th and 71st minutes with a first win at altitude in 47 years there for the taking.

"That's the worst feeling in the world because obviously you realise how crucial position and possession are," said Sharpe, whose injury is not serious.

"There'd been things that had been working well for us during the night in the lineout and unfortunately we just dropped off towards the end there.

"At the end of the day the Springboks have a good lineout and you've got to be on your toes whenever you play them, so it was just the way that the game turned out.

"It's just pressure from them."

Captain Rocky Elsom will be looking for more from the Wallabies' set piece at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein this Saturday (0100 Sunday AEST).

"It was very loud so there was an element of ... communication there," he said.

"They are an excellent defensive lineout, there's no doubt about that, they get up in the air more than anyone and they steal more ball than anyone, there's daylight second.

"They are factors but it just comes down to our drilling and drilling isn't just how you lift and jump, it's a whole lot of things.

"It's not the end of the world if you lose a lineout like that at the end of the game but I just didn't feel like we got enough out of our set piece stuff."

Sharpe backed Australia's less experienced locks, Dean Mumm and Ben McCalman who was playing just his second Test, to be able to perform at the highest level.

"Without a doubt," he said.

"You only learn through experience and it's all about doing things better for us, we just need to be playing consistently well in all facets of our game for 80 minutes."

McCalman and Mumm will vye for the No.4 jersey for next weekend's clash as Australia's depth in the position is tested without the injured James Horwill.

The experienced Dan Vickerman will return to bolster their stocks for next year's Rugby World Cup.

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