Springboks captain John Smit believes Robbie Deans has thrown out a challenge to his new forwards to prove they should be in the Wallabies' World Cup plans.

Deans this week named experienced lock Mark Chisholm and hooker Stephen Moore and lineout option Ben McCalman at No.8 ahead of Dean Mumm, Saia Faingaa and Richard Brown for Saturday's (0100 Sunday AEST) Tri-Nations Test in Bloemfontein.

The World Cup begins in New Zealand next September.

"It was always interesting that they'd left Chisholm out, he's a good footballer, he's good in the lineouts and he's a good player," Smit told a press conference on Friday.

"It's difficult to know whether they'll get results out of (the changes) until you've seen after the Test.

"That's probably where Robbie Deans is at the moment, he's got a squad and he wants to know exactly what he's got in each of the individuals before he gets into 2011, or possibly the end of year tour.

"Both coaches know that there's two things in mind - a result is all important on Saturday ... but also to know exactly what they're sitting with a year out." Hooker Smit is expecting a tougher physical challenge from opposite number Moore.

"He's far more experienced (than Faingaa), he's certainly going to impose a much bigger challenge up front as well," he said.

"He's been playing good rugby for a long time and I think it's taken a phenomenal season from Faingaa to put him out on the bench, and he's had a few injures as well.

"He's been a stalwart of their pack over the last two or three years in terms of how they've turned themselves around and he'll want to lead from the front.

"Certainly the games I've played against him at a Super 14 level and an international level, he'll be wanting to stay in front with the physicality." Despite the series having been already won by New Zealand, two desperate sides will battle it out for the Mandela Plate.

The Springboks are looking to avoid a record fifth defeat in a Tri-Nations tournament, while Australia believe they can finally crack a 47-year hoodoo at altitude in the Republic.

Smit expects a Wallabies backlash at Vodacom Park after last week's heartbreaking capitulation in Pretoria.

"I'd expect nothing less," he said.

"I think we'd be naive to think they're not going to want to build on the first 20. 30 minutes of that first Test.

"We'd certainly expect them to be coming out even harder this weekend."

He likened the Wallabies struggles on the highveld to his own side's hoodoo venue, Suncorp Stadium.

"I think we speak about the same lack of results we've got in Brisbane," he said. "Playing away from home is tough."

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