Michael Cheika is relishing the chance to strike a hammer blow to Australia's Rugby World Cup build-up by masterminding an Argentine upset win over the Wallabies in Sydney.

Cheika was on the receiving end in 2019 when he coached the Wallabies to their first Test loss to the Pumas on home soil in 35 years.

Now he's back trying to orchestrate another boilover on Saturday night at the same venue where the Pumas stunned the mighty All Blacks in 2020.

Australia and Argentina opened the Rugby Championship with heavy defeats to South Africa and New Zealand respectively last weekend and Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is demanding his charges "fire up".

Jones has bolstered his side with the return of powerhouse centre Samu Kerevi among five changes to the starting XV that succumbed 43-12 to the understrength Springboks in Pretoria.

Kerevi has been reunited in the midfield with playmaker Quade Cooper for the first time since the duo led the Wallabies to five straight wins in 2021.

The Wallabies lost all four Tests either side of that streak without Cooper and Kerevi but Cheika is confident the Argentines can handle their potent partnership.

"I've got a strong relationship with Samu from years of coaching here, so I know what he can do," the Pumas coach said.

"We'll be ready for that challenge. If we want to go somewhere with our team this year, they're the challenges that we have to meet and we need to learn how to win them.

"I'm sure we'll be up for that battle."

Argentina can leapfrog Australia and climb to seventh in the world rankings with victory.

But the Wallabies can rise above Jones' former England side for the first time since 2016 if they win and Cheika is dismissing Australia's crushing loss on the highveld as any real form guide.

"They were playing against a handy team at home," he said.

"I've been in that environment - in the highveld, it's your first game into the championship, first game together.

"I take it for granted that Australia, having coached that team, that it will always turn up, ready to go and ready to give you plenty of grief."

Thumped 48-17 by the Pumas in the two sides' most recent meeting, in San Juan last year, the Wallabies are bracing for another torrid contest.

"We expect them to be physical," flanker Jed Holloway said after Friday's captain's run.

"Any Michael Cheika side who doesn't bring that physicality, they're going to cop a spraying ... if they don't have that edge about them.

"They're going to come with some tricks up their sleeves but it's all going to be based around physicality and coming after us.

"We need to come ready to match them there and raise above them."

His allegiances firmly now with Argentina, the Spanish-speaking Cheika insists there won't be any mixed emotions when he coaches against his old side for the first time.

"I've dealt with that now," Cheika said.

"It's raw when you come from out of that environment.

"When I first came it felt weird just putting the gear on but now I feel very connected with this group of guys.

"As much as I love being Australian - and I'm never going to not say that - I love these guys and I want to make sure I put in the best for them."