WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans hopes that basing Australia at sea level will help break their long drought in South Africa and repeat his success in that country with his previous employers.
Australia head to South Africa on Friday for two Tri Nations Tests, having lost their past eight Tests in that country.
The Wallabies haven't won in South Africa since a 19-18 victory in Durban eight years ago.
Conversely, Deans had an 11-8 win-loss record in South Africa during his Super tenure with the Canterbury Crusaders.
New Zealand also enjoyed success at Test level in South Africa during his time there as the All Blacks coaching coordinator between 2001 and 2003.
Australia will arrive in Durban and Johannesburg only a day before the respective Tests.
The Wallabies will spend most of next week in Cape Town before heading to Durban and will then spend a week there before going to Johannesburg.
The strategy is along the same lines as the one employed by Deans during his hugely successful stint at the Crusaders.
The tactic was especially successful this year, when the Crusaders won both their South African fixtures.
Meanwhile, the contrasting fitness fortunes of two South African-born second-rowers could possibly benefit Australia in the coming Tests.
South African lock Bakkies Botha has been ruled out of the remainder of the Tri Nations competition after suffering a posterior cruciate ligament knee injury.
And Australia's South African-born second-row linchpin, Daniel Vickerman, is poised to regain a starting spot in the Wallabies line-up.
Vickerman came off the bench in Australia's last Test loss to New Zealand but seems certain to start on Saturday week after the Wallabies' shambolic line-out performance against the All Blacks in Auckland, where they lost eight of their own throws.
While South Africa have lost Botha and centre Jaque Fourie, with a fractured cheekbone, they have regained the services of two of their major strike weapons.
Winger Bryan Habana and breakaway Schalk Burger were both recalled to the side for this Saturday's clash with New Zealand in Cape Town, after being rested from last week's rout of Argentina after picking up niggling injuries against Australia in Perth last month.
The 30-man Wallabies squad reassembles in Sydney today, with a revised party of 28 to be named tomorrow.
Team doctors will decide whether breakaway Rocky Elsom (foot) and fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper (hand) are fit to tour and play in at least one of the South African Tests.
¡ NSW halfback Josh Valentine has set his sights on a return to the Wallabies fold after signing with Super 14 outfit Western Force for 2009. Valentine, who played four Tests for Australia in 2006, struggled for game time at the Waratahs last season, making just two appearances off the bench as back-up to current Wallaby Luke Burgess.
The acquisition of Valentine is a major boost for the Force, whose scrumhalf stocks suffered a major blow at the start of last season when Matt Henjak was sacked by the club for his fiery punch-up with teammate Haig Sare.
The Force have retained Chris O'Young on their list but 25-year-old James Stannard has been cut loose.
Valentine, also 25, will compete with O'Young for the No.9 jersey while the Force develop Australian Schoolboys halfback Justin Turner.
"I'd love to play more Tests for Australia and that remains a big goal, but there's a lot of work to do before I think about that," Valentine said.
"My immediate goal is to win the starting job for the Western Force and hopefully play some really good consistent rugby next year.
"There is plenty of competition in the halfback position at the Force with Chris O'Young and Justin Turner but I'll do my best to put my name up there during the pre-season and take it from there."
Valentine will join the squad in Perth before the team starts pre-season training on October 6.
AAP
