Wallaby coach Robbie Deans rejoined the Australian team on Wednesday, following the death of his father, and promptly named and unchanged team to face South Africa in a Tri-Nations crunch match in Cape Town on Saturday.

During his first 18 Tests Deans had introduced 16 new caps - the last of those scrumhalf Will Genia in Auckland three weeks ago - as he continued to broaden the Wallaby selection base.

However, the same starting XV that lost 16-22 to the All Blacks last month will face up to the Boks at Newlands - with Deans having now settled on what he believes is his most potent starting XV.

There is a change to the bench though, where he returned to a more conventional split among the replacements - with the inclusion of Reds wing Peter Hynes the only change.

Hynes replaces Waratahs flank Phil Waugh in a straight swap on the bench.

The match-night combination is otherwise the same as that which lost in the tournament's opening match in Auckland.

Lock James Horwill did not train with the team on Thursday morning, and has remained at the team hotel to recover from a bout of flu.

Deans rejoined the team in Cape Town Wednesday night, arriving at 21.00 - after a 25-hour trip from Christchurch. Deans did not travel to South Africa with the team last Friday due to the death of his father, attending the funeral on Tuesday in Christchurch before heading to South Africa.

Although edged by six points in New Zealand in their Tri-Nations opener after having led at half-time, Australia let in just one try.

The Wallabies head to Newlands having conceded just two tries from the four Test matches they have played this year.

That defensive record is sure to be tested by a Springbok side which is coming off its first back-to-back victories over the All Blacks since 1976, which followed up a 2-1 home series win over the British & Irish Lions.

The game is the Springboks' final home tie in the Tri-Nations.

South Africa leads the way in the tournament with eight points gathered from two home matches against the All Blacks. New Zealand has four, from its three matches, while Australia picked up a bonus point during its opening tie in the competition.

While the Wallabies have not won at Cape Town since 1992, the squad does feature 13 of the players who participated in last year's 27-15 win over South Africa at Durban.

That success was Australia's first on South African soil for eight years, and just the second win achieved by the Wallabies in the Republic from 14 attempts since the Tri-Nations kicked off in 1996.

Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Richard Brown, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 David Pocock, 20 Will Genia, 21 Peter Hynes, 22 James O'Connor.

RUGBY365