Recalled De Bruyn relishes Proteas confronting Aussie 'bullies': 'Fighting is in our DNA'

The infamous "Sandpapergate" might've prompted the Australian cricket's biggest moment of introspection, but there's at least one man in the Proteas Test squad hoping it hasn't totally changed them.

Theunis de Bruyn didn't make a significant impact with the bat in that fraught series in 2018 though he gleefully admits it was "one of the highlights" of an international career he hopes to revive Down Under next month.

In fact, the elegant right-hander expects some proverbial needle again, especially since two of the great foes' former captains, Faf du Plessis and Tim Paine, re-opened wounds in their recently released autobiographies.

Du Plessis earlier this week told the BBC that he still has little respect for David Warner, one of the Aussie stalwarts sanctioned in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal, because he's a "bully".

He refers here to the dressing room bust-up during the first Test in Durban between Warner and Quinton de Kock, who had hurled unflattering words at each other.

The incident preceded the ball-tampering, which occurred in the third Test in Cape Town.

Time has moved on - as has De Bruyn - and while the Australians might not be nefarious in the three-match series, he's pretty confident there will be tension.

"I hope [there's going to be some banter]. That's why we want to play against Australia. It's the toughest cricket you can play. If you look at the South African DNA, we don't shy away from a fight," he said."I read something [this week] about what Faf said about the Test match in Durban, and that was spot on. They bullied us on our home ground, and it touched a nerve, and the whole changeroom got together, and I know it's just cricket, but it became a little bit more than that."

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