Graham Rowntree is adamant he will not “fall into the trap” of billing Andrew Sheridan as a player who could single-handedly destroy South Africa’s scrum.

GARETH COOPER has been cast in a support role throughout much of his Test career — but he could end 2008 as Wales’ headline act today (2.30pm).

AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans believes England team manager Martin Johnson has the ability to push international rugby into a new era.

Al Baxter’s scrummaging may be in question, but Australia’s much-maligned tight-head prop proved he has the hide of an ox by laughing off criticism of his front-row failings.

Australia coach Robbie Deans tonight insisted Twickenham “holds no baggage” for the Wallabies despite their poor recent record at the ground.

Teenager James O’Connor is set to become the second-youngest player ever to pull on an Australia jersey after being named in the squad to tour Europe later this year.

New Zealand stopped the rot and got their Tri-Nations campaign back on track with an emphatic victory against Australia today.

Luke Burgess and Peter Hynes will make their Australia Test debuts against Ireland in Melbourne on Saturday after Robbie Deans announced his first team selection as coach.

Robbie Deans has named seven uncapped players in his first Australia squad for the Test against Ireland on June 14.

Australia 37 Canada 6

John O’Neill, chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union, has blasted World Cup organisers for staging the Wallabies’ pivotal Pool B clash with Wales in Cardiff.

Australia have made two changes for Saturday’s crunch World Cup clash with Wales in Cardiff – and bolstered their forward power on the bench.

LEINSTER fly-half Felipe Contepomi will captain Argentina in the first test against Ireland in Santa Fe on Saturday.

Wallaby coach John Connolly’s plans to lay the foundation of victory against Wales based on improved forward power began to unravel less than half a day after his original team announcement.

Julian Huxley has been named at full-back for Australia in Saturday’s Test against Wales at Telstra Stadium, while George Smith and George Gregan will start on the reserves bench.

Australia international Lote Tuqiri insists there can be no excuse for a poor autumn Test series in Europe this year.

Wales 29 Australia 29

Guy Shepherdson has been handed a Test debut by Australia coach John Connolly for the clash against Ireland on Saturday in Perth.

Australia 43 England 18

Australia have named a 33-man squad for the Test against England at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney on June 11.

Ireland 14 Australia 30

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan is giving most of the side hammered 45-7 by New Zealand a second chance as he keeps changes for today’s clash with Australia to a minimum.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan today admitted he has been left confused by the failure to punish All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu for his spear tackle on Gordon D’Arcy.

AUSTRALIAN coach Eddie Jones is determined to brazen out the criticism and follow his own instincts as he bids to halt a depressing run of international defeats at Lansdowne Road tomorrow.

Australia head coach Eddie Jones has axed tight-head prop Al Baxter for Saturday’s clash with Ireland at Lansdowne Road and gambled on an inexperienced front row.

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry believes the All Blacks still have a long way to go if they want to win the 2007 World Cup despite confirming their place as the world’s number one team.

AUSTRALIA have made four changes for Saturday’s Tri Nations opener against South Africa in Pretoria, with Matt Dunning, John Roe, Morgan Turinui and Daniel Vickerman coming into the starting line-up.

England’s judgement day arrived under the Telstra Stadium floodlights – in conditions more akin to home than Sydney.

THE battle lines were drawn yesterday for Saturday’s World Cup final as England and Australia named their sides.

Prop Al Baxter and his front-row colleagues have vowed to win the World Cup on Saturday for their injured Wallaby team-mate Ben Darwin, whose rugby career hangs in the balance after he suffered a neck injury in Australia’s semi-final victory over New Zealand.

Australia coach Eddie Jones made just one enforced change to his side for Saturday’s World Cup final and then backed his relatively inexperienced forward pack to give England an almighty test.

Australia prop Ben Darwin has been ruled out of the World Cup final but hopes to be well enough to attend next Saturday’s game.

Former Australia coach Bob Dwyer today urged Eddie Jones to axe captain George Gregan and make six changes for next week’s quarter-final against Scotland – or face surrendering the World Cup without a fight.

Ireland captain Keith Wood retains his place for today's Pool A World Cup showdown with Australia, with a quarter-final place against Scotland up for grabs.

THE major talking points about the Australian team to face Ireland are the omission - from both team and subs bench - of Stirling Mortlock and Chris Latham, the man who ran in a world record five tries against Namibia last Saturday), and Alastair Baxter’s replacement at tight head prop by Ben Darwin.

Australia coach Eddie Jones has resisted the temptation to select five-try hero Chris Latham and made just one change to his first-choice starting line-up for the match against Ireland in Melbourne on Saturday.

Australia made just one change from the side which kicked off their World Cup campaign with a victory over Argentina, Daniel Vickerman coming in at lock for the injured David Giffin for today’s encounter with Romania at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Australia coach Eddie Jones believes high expectations are his team’s biggest danger going into what should be a relatively comfortable World Cup Pool A match against Romania at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Australia coach Eddie Jones has launched a psychological arrow at Argentina by urging referee Paul Honiss to clean up the tackle area in tomorrow’s sell-out World Cup opener.

THE motivation that comes from playing the World Cup opener at home should be sufficient for Australia to make a winning start when they play Argentina in Sydney tomorrow.

Veteran flanker Owen Finegan was the biggest omission from Australia’s World Cup squad announced in Sydney today.

John Mitchell returned to his strongest possible line-up for New Zealand’s twin assault on the Bledisloe Cup and the world number one ranking this weekend.