Wallabies flank Rocky Elsom has been ruled out of Australia's clash against the Springboks in Cape Town next week but he is making steady progress from a knee injury that has kept him sidelined so far this season.

Elsom missed all the Wallabies' Tests so far this year but coach Robbie Deans is hopeful that the hard-hitting flank will return for the Wallabies' first home game against the All Blacks on August 22.

"He got some work in over the weekend and hasn't had any setbacks as a result of that work, so he is progressing well," Deans told the media in Sydney on Tuesday.

"He's at the point now where he can up the ante in terms of the volume and he seems to be responding well to it.

"Finally, he's turning the corner, he won't be considered for Cape Town but the signs are pretty good after that."

The Wallabies will travel to South Africa on Thursday, well-aware of the physical challenge the Boks presents.

The Springboks proved how tough they would be to beat by overpowering the All Blacks, who a week earlier had trumped Australia in Auckland.

"They are a very good side and they've been that for a while and they just exude that belief," Deans said.

"If you don't accept the physical challenge then there won't be a lot to feed off, so that's one area where we are going to have to step up."

Asked if the battle at the breakdown will be the pack's biggest challenge, Deans replied: "Yeah, I think that would be fair.

"When you look at the physicality of the South Africans, they fair hurtle into that area and I think you look at the way the All Blacks struggled in the first 30 [minutes] in that area, the answer would have to be 'yes'."

Deans also revealed he was planning to speak with the referee before the match to avoid a repetition of the scrum penalties that hurt the Wallabies against the All Blacks.

"It's an area we've got to master, because it just makes your life so much harder when you've got decisions that impact on the flow of that game," Deans said.