Australia skipper George Gregan says he is fully prepared for all that Argentina have to throw at his side in Friday's World Cup opener.

The Wallabies have been on the wrong end of Argentina's physical brand of rugby on a number of occasions, suffering a demoralising 18-16 defeat in Buenos Aires in 1997 and raising allegations of eye gouging and kicking following last year's 17-6 victory over the world's most feared scrummagers.

Gregan is predicting another physical test when they tackle the Pumas in Sydney on Friday but claims that this time his side will be ready for everything that is levelled at them.

"I wouldn't imagine anything different," the ACT Brumbies halfback told the Sydney Morning Herald. "They play a confrontational game. They like to push the margin. So we're expecting that."

Australia go into the tournament on the back of a run of unconvincing form in recent outings but with pressure still on them to perform in from of their own fans.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has confirmed that Elton Flatley has been handed the kicking duties ahead of Matthew Burke, while the injured Toutai Kefu will address his team-mates before they take the field.

AUSTRALIA: Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, Matt Burke, Elton Flatley, Joe Roff, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan (c), David Lyons, Phil Waugh, George Smith, Nathan Sharpe, David Giffin, Al Baxter, Brendan Cannon, Bill Young. Reserves: Jeremy Paul, Ben Darwin, Dan Vickerman, Matt Cockbain, Chris Whitaker, Matt Giteau, Lote Tuqiri.

ARGENTINA: Ignacio Corleto, Jose Nunez Piossek, Manuel Contepomi, Jose Orengo, Diego Albanese, Felipe Contepomi, Agustin Pichot (Capt), Gonzalo Longo, Rolando Martin, Santiago Phelan, Patricio Albacete, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Omar Hasan, Mario Ledesma, Roberto Grau. Reserves: Federico Mendez, Mauritio Reggiardo, Rimas Alvarez, Martin Durand, Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, Gonzalo Quesada, Juan Martin Hernandez.