The second hardest thing to get George Gregan to do is to lose focus on a game of rugby; the most difficult is persuading him to talk about himself.

All week he has dodged the limelight in the build-up to his 100th Test appearance, the Tri-Nations encounter against the Springboks in Perth today, but when he finally fronted up he was a long way from lost in misty-eyed reverie.

Rugby is Gregan's business and it was business as usual as he planned his return from the shoulder injury that kept him out of the Wallabies' 16-7 defeat by the All Blacks in round one.

"It's important from a team point of view," he said when asked about the personal significance of the match. "From a personal point of view it's a very proud moment," he conceded, before quickly deflecting the focus, "and it's also a very proud moment for Jeremy Paul, who wins his 50th cap."

Gregan, 31, is in discussions with the Australian Rugby Union to extend his contract beyond the end of this year. It looks likely and in due course he will probably eclipse Jason Leonard's world record of 114 Test caps.

But for now Gregan has to help the Wallabies lift their game against a giant that appears to be finally rousing from a long slumber.

The revival of the Springboks under Jake White has been the subtext of this tournament to date, although the South Africans know they have to win away from home to prove it.

But Australia's coach Eddie Jones has already made his decision: "We are seeing the best-prepared South African team since Nick Mallett had the side back in 98 - without a doubt," he said. "Their form this year has been outstanding."

In that time the Springboks have beaten Ireland (twice) and Wales at home as well the Pacific Islanders in Australia before losing in the last 10 seconds to the All Blacks in Christchurch a week ago.

"When we came over we said we wanted to win three out of three games on this tour," said their captain John Smit. "We now have won one out of two and we need to get two out of three. This has become a must-win game for us."

Jonah Lomu, meanwhile, could play rugby again after this week's kidney transplant kick-started his recovery from nephrotic syndrome, his doctor John Mayhew said yesterday.

"I am hoping Jonah gets back to full health and can do all the things he wants to do," Mayhew, the former doctor to the All Blacks, said. "Now, if one of those things is playing rugby ... he has discussed it before with the transplant surgeon and was given tacit approval for that."

Australia: Latham; Rathbone, Mortlock, Giteau, Tuqiri; Larkham, Gregan (capt); Young, Paul, Baxter, Harrison, Sharpe, Smith, Waugh, Lyons.

South Africa: Montgomery; Paulse, Joubert, Barry, De Villiers; Van der Westhuyzen, Du Preez; Du Randt, Smit (capt), Andrews, Botha, Britz, Burger, Venter, Cronje.