Australian coach Robbie Deans praised the resilience of his team after they overturned a 0-6 half-time deficit to defeat the most capped Springbok team of all time 14-9 in a Tri-Nations Test at Kings Park on Saturday.

With the World Cup less than a month away, Deans said the win was ideal.

"In terms of preparation there's no doubt it's great. We played against the most experienced Bok side tonight on their home soil and [it was] their current World Cup selection, essentially."

Deans said aggressive defence had been crucial for the Wallabies.

"Against these blokes you can't duck. You have to front up physically," he said.

"I was proud of the resilience we showed," he said. "We created opportunities and didn't finish them. It would have been easy for the group to go into decline but they stuck at it, they were good in the contact and I believe we deserved the result."

Captain and flank Rocky Elsom said his team's work ethic had carried them through.

"Things didn't go our way early on but we fought back. We stuck to what we knew and I'm very happy to come away with a win."

The Springboks looked the better team in the first half and led at the break despite playing into a brisk southerly wind. Full-back Francois Steyn landed a long range penalty and fly-half Butch James a more conventional goal.

But the Wallabies made a blistering start to the second half and within eight minutes had snatched the lead through a penalty by wing James O'Connor and a first international try by centre Pat McCabe.

Although James put South Africa ahead again with another penalty, the visitors dominated the closing stages and were good value for a win sealed by two more O'Connor penalties as rain swept across the ground in the last 15 minutes.