Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has put South Africa on notice, saying he wants both their No.2 world ranking and the Mandela Challenge Plate back.
With Australia ranked third behind the All Blacks and Springboks, wins in Perth and then Cape Town could see them rise to No.2 for the first time under new coach Ewen McKenzie.
It would also see them regain the Mandela Plate, which they lost last season after holding it for three years.
And it all starts at Perth’s Patersons Stadium this Saturday.
“They’ve got two things that we want,” Hooper said.
“They’re number two in the world and they’ve got the Mandela Plate.
“So there’s silverware on offer and a chance to up our ranking.
“Every chance you get to play a top team like the All Blacks, like the South Africans, is a great opportunity to improve.”