Former Wallaby coach Eddie Jones may have helped guide the Springboks to World Cup glory last year, but on Saturday the roles could be reversed when Australia host South Africa in a Tri-Nations encounter at Perth's Subiaco Oval.

Gerald Bosch, the 1970s Bok icon, is the personal mentor of Wallaby utility Berrick Barnes, who could be one of the key players in Saturday's showdown.

Barnes, who switched from Rugby League to Rugby Union in 2006, will enter his first Test against South Africa full of confidence following years of help from the legendary Bok flyhalf, Bosch.

Bosch, who played a pivotal role in South Africa's 3-1 win over the 1976 All Black touring team, has been working with Barnes to help the young Australian improve his kicking game.

"We talk about three times a week and kick that amount as well," Barnes told AAP, ahead of the crucial showdown with South Africa this week.

"If we're not kicking we'll go have a coffee or something," Barnes said of the relationship.

"He's been really good for me and it's important to have guys outside of the team that you know you can trust and rely on.

"Boschy's been one of those guys for me and he's been really good to have.

"Also just having a guy there who's played Test rugby, he knows what it's all about.

"He knows when you're up and when you're down and what you've got to concentrate on. To have that guy to talk to and fall back on is a big thing.

"League kicking is so much different to union. You've got so much more to think about in this game, where you're kicking, where your support is and all that sort of stuff."

Barnes said the pair had put extra emphasis on field goal [drop-goal] kicking.

"We've been working pretty hard at that. That's a skill I'm trying to get a lot better at," Barnes said.

"I've used it a few times in Super 14 but it would be nice to bring it back out and obviously in Test match footy when things get tight you've got to use it.

"We saw Dan Carter take about four shots on the weekend [for New Zealand] and I definitely know Francois Steyn will probably take one."

Bosch, who move to Australia 10 years ago, has no formal link to the Wallabies. In fact he will be back in Brisbane on Saturday when Barnes and company tackle the World Cup champions in a Test 4,000 kilometres to the west on the Australian continent.

However, like Eddie Jones' influence on the Boks at last year's World Cup, Bosch's role in guiding young Barnes can't be underestimated.

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