Now, I'm not claiming that Australia are unbeatable or better than the ABs in any way, but I have noticed a bit of a trend with Australia.

First of all, the main Their defence is very good - No holes for outside backs - they don't use a psycho rush defence a la us last game, but instead keep their defensive line together, well organised and on the gain line (generally) - They don't concede too many metres and concede few line breaks as a result.

Now, their back play is shite. I know this might be a little controversial but they are lacklustre and profited against shoddy defences from NZ and SA in the past few weeks. The closest example I can find of a similar lacklustre but solid playing style was the 2003 England squad  - which won them the world cup, so please don't take my description of it as too much of a derogatory comment.

They constantly use the inside ball. Their backline tactics seem fairly simple, they use crash ball after crash ball in building up phases and wait for an opportunity/infringement. The only place they are really dangerous is off the set piece, otherwise they seem pretty raw to me.

In terms of defensive targets in the backline - there aren't too many and it depends on who plays where. Larkham is no easy man to beat and the only rationale I can see for targeting him (other than repetitively using inside runners to create width) is to force an injury/ruffle his feathers a little. Major backline target should be Giteau at 12 (and by virtue of that, the Larkham-Giteau channel is far weaker than the Giteau-Mortlock channel). This is not suggesting he is an incompetent defender, but he tends to get beaten in the tackle (as in he ends up on his back and concedes a metre or two), which gets us on the front foot and creates the possibility for offloads.

So now that I've briefly assessed their style of play, what is their weakness?

Well, there are probably a good number, (especially Huxley at the back if he starts) but from my PoV, the best way to beat the Wallabies is in the forwards.
WOAH! Mind-blowing eh? Well, just think about it for a second, it's nothing new, but look at where teams have played well against them in the last two games. They're piss weak around the fringes of breakdowns. When we put on "hammer" style drives, we generally picked up a metre or two, and the occasional flying loosie attacking the fringe always made good yardage in the SA and NZ games. While you may think Byron looked shite against Australia, Weepu was no marked improvement and Kelleher was sniping in all the wrong places. A player like Kelleher will be a great asset against Aus for the second time, I reckon a speedy little wrecking ball like him will be able to exploit that weak fringe defence a good number of times.
It's possible that Australia's fringe defence has been weak because they've been wary of NZ/SA outside backs. So I reckon we should stack the team with our flying Fijians against them again, see if we can stretch that solid line of defence and open a few holes at ruck time.
Alot easier to keep possession too when the ball stays with the forwards for extended periods.

Just my 2 cents. Rather out of context with SA this weekend.
But I shall comment on the upcoming game anyway, our weakness last game will become our strength. Be prepared to see Toeava and McAlister both have huge games, marking a slightly unstable and untried combination of Olivier (who I rate - essentially a clone of Conrad Smith playing in one position. May be better at Centre?) and that other guy (was it Murray?) who's defence seems quite solid.
Carter will have a good one too, especially if he's marking Hougaard. Peter Grant is underrated. I reckon he's a gun.

ALSO another random thought - if McAlister goes away for two years or so as rumoured (unlikely)... That takes Mauger and McAlister out of the game and probably forces the 12. Toeava 13. Conrad combination... which I reckon would be good if Toeava can handle 12 with aplomb after a big test season this year... and make his boot more consistant!

(AND A TRI NATIONS XV based on the most CURRENT form, Just because I only drop in occasionally and I do enjoy a rant)!
1. Woodcock  2. Oliver  3. Hayman  4. Vicks  5. Jack  6. Collins (though I'm sure there's some northerner playing better... the 6s in the 3N have all been pretty average.)  7. McAwe  8. So'oialo (Would say Spies if he was playing currently... not taking anything away from So'oialo. Palu is overrated and Hoiles is a poor man's So'oialo)  9. Gregan (Another contentious spot. Whine about it all you want. Kelleher v SA was good, Kelleher v AUS was average. Gregan v NZ was good, Gregan v SA was average. Giving it to Gregan for sentimental value.  )  10. Larkham (The "Current" form tag must apply. Larkham's playing well, best I've seen him in a couple years.)  11. Sivivatu  12. Giteau  13. Mortlock  14. Rokocoko  15. Mils (Uhh.... Leon MacDonald has had the best singular performance of the FBs so far I think... and he only had about 20 mins! But really a nondescript position with Mils below par, Latham injured and Percy left behind).

the 2nd XV

1. DUNNING!  2. Botha  3. (Insert SAFFA here)  4. Ackermann (I love this brute)  5. Sharpe  6. R Elsom (Though I'd put Hoiles here on form - he wasn't playing 6)  7. G Smith  8. Skinstad  9. Kelleher  10. Carter  11. Tuqiri  12. McAlister  13. Toeava  14. Paulse  15. (Again, nondescript at the moment. No idea).