Wales 28 Australia 33

Michael Cheika has been appointed as the new Australia head coach.

Australia 28 New Zealand 29

Coach Ewen McKenzie knows Australia must take risks if they are to end New Zealand’s 17-game winning streak on Saturday, and hopes the surprise selection of Kurtley Beale at fly-half will provide the spark in their Rugby Championship clash in Sydney.

Australia bounced back from their England defeat to record a 50-20 victory over Italy in their second autumn international at the Stadio Olimpico.

Flanker George Smith has been recalled to the Australia team to face the British and Irish Lions in the third and final Test in Sydney.

Wallabies match-winner Adam Ashley-Cooper is bracing himself for a big-time return of midfield rival Jamie Roberts when Australia face the British & Irish Lions in Saturday’s series decider in Sydney.

Australia 16 British and Irish Lions 15

The British and Irish Lions have named Tommy Bowe, Dan Lydiate and Ben Youngs in their starting XV for Saturday's second Test against Australia at the Etihad Stadium.

At last the hype is over and the British and Irish Lions are back in business.

Australia have picked James O'Connor at fly-half for Saturday's opening Test against the British and Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium with Kurtley Beale included on the bench.

He’s been Australia’s “Mr Fix It” for many seasons, but now Wallabies back Adam Ashley-Cooper is ready to face the might of the Lions from his preferred position.

Adam Ashley-Cooper insists Brian O’Driscoll remains as dangerous as ever as the rivals prepare to meet for the first time in Saturday’s opening Test between Australia and the British and Irish Lions.

Brian O’Driscoll fully expects to see mercurial out-half Quade Cooper trot out to stare down the Lions in Australia although the prospects of Kurtley Beale doing likewise look less favourable given the Melbourne Rebel has been suspended again.

There was a suspicion that England were beginning to believe their own press as the Stuart Lancaster regime took hold — but who better to bring them back to earth than Clive Woodward.

France 33 Australia 6

Australia 18 New Zealand 18

Gethin Jenkins claims Wales will be a better team for being knocked off “cloud nine” by Australia.

Wales will head into the first of their three Tests against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday with 11 of the starting XV that clinched Grand Slam glory against France in March.

AUSTRALIA centre Rob Horne yesterday withdrew from the Wallabies team to face Wales at the Millennium Stadium today (2.30pm) due to a hamstring injury.

Full-back Kurtley Beale will return to the Australia team for Friday’s World Cup bronze medal match against Wales in Auckland.

NEW ZEALAND head coach Graham Henry hailed the All Blacks’ 20-6 destruction of Australia in the Rugby World Cup semi-final as “outstanding”.

Australia full-back Kurtley Beale has been ruled out of the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand with a hamstring strain.

Australia will give full-back Kurtley Beale every chance to prove his fitness for Sunday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

Australia are sweating over the fitness of star full-back Kurtley Beale ahead of Sunday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.

Australia 68 Russia 22

AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans was happy with the progress made in the win over the United States, but there was also cause for concern as the Wallabies’ injury toll mounted in Wellington.

Australia 67 United States 5

Australia have made seven changes for Friday’s World Cup Pool C clash with the United States in Wellington as they seek to bounce back from their loss to Ireland.

Australia star Adam Ashley-Cooper has described Brian O’Driscoll as a “freak” who has the big-game temperament to deliver on the greatest stage.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett isn’t holding out much hope for victory against Australia tomorrow.

JAMES O’CONNOR has vowed to win back his spot in the Australia side after being named on the bench for Sunday’s World Cup opener against Italy.

James O’Connor has vowed to win back his spot in the Australia side after being named on the bench for Sunday’s World Cup opener against Italy.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has retained the line-up that beat New Zealand last time out for next Sunday’s World Cup Pool C game against Italy in Auckland.

AUSTRALIA trio James O’Connor, Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale have denied rumours they were involved in an altercation while on tour in France last November.

Australia 39 South Africa 20

SAMOA produced one of their most memorable victories in international rugby yesterday, dealing a damaging World Cup blow to Ireland’s key group rivals only two months out from the tournament.

Former Australia great Mark Ella has warned the current side not too excited about their World Cup prospects despite a record win over France at the weekend.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made just two changes to his starting XV for the Wallabies’ final Test of 2010 against France on Saturday night.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has named an unchanged matchday 22 for his side’s James Bevan Trophy clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Adam Ashley-Cooper admits ending Australia’s losing streak against New Zealand is a major motivation ahead of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash at ANZ Stadium.

Quade Cooper has returned to the Australia starting line-up for Saturday’s Tri Nations encounter against South Africa in Pretoria in the only change made by coach Robbie Deans.

Australia wing Drew Mitchell has been spared the axe but Berrick Barnes and Stephen Moore have both been dumped to the bench ahead of Saturday’s vital Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand in Christchurch.

ROBBIE DEANS has faced pressure before, but the vultures are circling after Saturday’s disaster in Melbourne.