THE Wallabies are hoping the second wind will be enough for them to achieve a historical feat against the Springboks at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Countless teams have been affected by the altitude factor, but Adam Ashley-Cooper, who returns to the Test fullback spot, said the main factor in ensuring that you do not get overwhelmed by the high veldt is to work your way through the initial 20 minutes of pain.

When explaining what effect altitude has on a unsuspecting visiting team, Ashley-Cooper said yesterday: "It hurts the lungs a little bit more."

"But once you get through that first 20 minutes, you find you get your second wind, and it's a matter of just pushing through," Ashley-Cooper said yesterday.

"The only difference playing at altitude is the distance the ball goes when you kick it, and that burning sensation."

It all revolves around the player's mental approach.

"You just have to expect the worst, and the hardest, and prime yourself to perform," he said.

"How it affects you is hard to explain.

"There's a moment where you feel so fatigued and so short of breath.

"You just convince yourself to push through that.

"And you have this little voice going on inside your head saying 'keep going'.

"But then you get this second wind where you can actually get going. This second wind normally comes in the second half, once you've had the break, the game has slowed a touch and everyone's buggered.

"You then seem to be able to carry on."

But Ashley-Cooper knows that the extra factor the side will have to overcome is an angry Springbok opposition, who have been humiliated by losing in Durban to a team which this country doesn't rate at all.

As he missed the Durban Test because of his broken hand, he sat on the sideline near the Wallabies reserves, where he had the "best seat in the house".