TIMANA TAHU says he is primed for his first starting Test for the Wallabies at one of the world's most intimidating sporting arenas.

Tahu is set to be named in the Test side on Thursday at inside-centre to accompany Stirling Mortlock in midfield for the Test against South Africa at Ellis Park on Saturday, after Berrick Barnes was forced to return to Australia because of a serious shoulder injury. Barnes was accompanied on Monday's flight by second-rower Dan Vickerman, who has a similar ailment. Both players are expected to miss the rest of the Tri Nations series.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has to decide between playing Tahu, or moving Mortlock to inside-centre, which would enable Ryan Cross to start at No.13. However, it appears that Deans prefers the Tahu option. Such a move would cap an impressive and somewhat unexpected rise by a player who several months ago was struggling to get regular game time with the Waratahs, after he moved across from rugby league.

Deans is a fervent Tahu fan, as shown at recent training sessions where the head coach has spent countless hours, often at the end of the session, working with the former Kangaroos representative. Deans was also instrumental into turning Tahu into a No.12 by giving him that opportunity with the Australian A team, after he was used intermittently as a winger by the Waratahs.

Tahu said he was indebted to Deans for giving him a chance.

"I'm ready. I've been preparing all season for this moment, and if it comes up I'll be delighted," he said on Monday. "It was a frustrating few months during the Super 14 but Robbie knew where I was suited, and that No.12 was my best position. Robbie gives a lot of players confidence, and makes us believe in ourselves.

"If you have a positive coach around, you really want to play for him. It is a good environment at the moment, and everyone wants to play for each other."

Tahu added that despite having only limited time in the game, which included a tough initiation during the Super 14, he now believed that he was confident in the basics of the game to handle whatever he was asked to do.

"Getting to know the game playing in different positions has been hard, but I think I'm up to scratch now," Tahu said.

"So if it does come to a situation on Saturday where I do start, the team and Robbie will have confidence in me, and I'll have confidence in myself. It is also a lot better playing with the Wallabies, and because you are playing with the best it makes your job so much easier."

Wallabies halfback Sam Cordingley, playing only his sixth starting Test in his 21-Test career, said that the Durban triumph was his most satisfying international experience.

"It was a pretty hectic pace, particularly for me as I hadn't played a lot of football before that Test," he said. "But I would have to say it was probably the most enjoyable Test I had been involved in. I wasn't expecting to be part of this squad, and to get a start against the Boks was a real honour. Wins are a premium over here, and that's why our success at Kings Park was so enjoyable."

Cordingley, at 32 the oldest player in the Wallabies' squad, said this relatively young team was gradually gaining the level of confidence and composure that was a hallmark of the great Wallabies sides of the 1990s and early 2000s.

"Back in 2000 when we last won here, there were some Wallaby greats in that team - with the likes of John Eales and Toutai Kefu, while two of our coaches now were players then - Michael Foley and Jim Williams," Cordingley said.

"We had guys then who were seasoned campaigners. Now this side is building a similar momentum. You have the experience with Dan Vickerman and Rocky Elsom, while Matt Giteau has around 60 Tests now. The confidence is now building."

■ Former Springboks assistant and Wallabies boss Eddie Jones has turned up the heat on beleaguered South African rugby coach Peter de Villiers, describing his much maligned new game-plan as "nonsense", reports AAP.

"The Springboks will get worse if they continue in this way," Jones told English newspaper The Independent. "Mate, no one in world rugby is playing the way their coach is talking about, not successfully anyway.

"Everyone has discipline, policies and a procedure in their game. The way he is talking is nonsense. You can't just play an expansive, wide game. The hard thing for Peter is that he has never coached professionally and this is one of the most difficult teams to coach."