Wallabies captain Harry Wilson has backed Western Force skipper Jeremy Williams and veteran Lukhan Salakaia-Loto after a Josh Canham injury has forced Australia into a change before battle with South Africa’s experienced locks.

It comes as Wilson and his fellow Wallabies leaders sought some external from a fellow Australian who knows a thing or two about beating South Africa: former Australian Test opener and cricket coach Justin Langer.

The in-form Canham will take no part in Australia’s blockbuster with the back-to-back World Cup winners at Optus Stadium on Sunday evening after battling some hamstring soreness after training on Friday.

Canham’s absence represents a blow for the Wallabies against a Springboks team who have rotated out many of their stars, but will start with the same experienced second-row duo who helped win them the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.

Eben Eztebeth, the Springboks’ record cap-winner with 146, will partner Franco Mostert in what will be his 85th Test for South Africa, with the physical Salakaia-Loto coming in for Canham.

In the absence of Canham, Williams will handle line-out calling duties, but Wilson said he had full faith in the Force workhorse and the abrasive Salakaia-Loto, who will be relied on to match the physicality of South Africa’s pack.

“It is always a big loss when you lose your lineout caller, and someone like Canham has been playing some really good footy for us, but someone like Jeremy Williams, he has called international footy before, and I’m really looking forward for him to have that opportunity,” Wilson said.

“And then someone like Lukhan coming into the starting team, I know how excited he is, and he’s been raring to go. He might not offer Canham’s jumping ability, but gee whizz can he offer some other stuff around the field.

“We know they’re a team who want to go through us, and they’re a big abrasive forward pack so to have someone like Lukhan next to you, it gives you a bit of confidence and he really relishes those battles.”

The Wallabies got a visit from Langer this week in the lead-up to their battle against the Springboks and a self-described cricket lover Wilson said he soaked up every word Langer offered him and his leadership team.

“It was really cool having him in. Every word he said, he was just so passionate, and he’s obviously played at a high level for 15, 20 years, and he’s coached the Australian cricket team through some tough periods and got them to number one in the world,” he said.

“It was good to ask him what he expects from his leadership group, from his leaders, and we did get a lot of lot of wisdom out of him. I just really enjoyed his passion. When he speaks, he’s cool.

“He was a part of an unbelievable vintage of Australian cricket, where the team, won 16 straight a couple of times and then he took over the Australian cricket team after Sandpapergate and he spoke about how he tried to reshape the culture there and the way they wanted to go about their business.”