Australian skipper Will Genia says the Wallabies are determined to break their Rugby Championship shackles and take an attacking mindset into Saturday night's showdown with South Africa in Perth.

Genia admits he was frustrated by his lack of opportunities against New Zealand, but denied he was better suited to playing against the Springboks, where he can try and exploit some of their big forwards on the edges of the ruck.

The world's premier halfback says the Wallabies camp have addressed at team meetings the precarious position they find themselves in, with coach Robbie Deans under pressure and an almighty task ahead of them to resurrect their hopes in the Championship.

Genia said players wanted to respond by showing the Springboks who the real Wallabies are.

"We want to come into this game with very much an attacking mindset and attacking focus and we want to play some footy," he said.

"We haven't had the opportunity in the last couple of weeks against the All Blacks so we want to create momentum and want to give ourselves a chance to really express ourselves and play some footy because we haven't.

"Obviously you want to change your circumstance and you don't want to go out there and have another disappointing result.

"We need to be a lot harder on ourselves. Be a lot demanding of each other.

"Making the same errors over and over again isn't good enough."

Genia said he was surprised to not be matching up against Francois Hougaard, with the speedy Springboks halfback switched to the wing.

The experienced Ruan Pienaar will instead wear the No.9 for South Africa.

"I really rate Hougaard as a halfback. I think he offers them a lot around the breakdown, he's quick and he's got great acceleration off the mark and provides a lot of spark in attack," said Genia.

"But they don't lose anything at all with Ruan, he's obviously a world class halfback as well.

"With Hougaard on the wing, he's got out and out pace so he gives them that ability on the wing."