DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN insists the ticket turmoil and empty seats that greeted Ireland on a historic day at the Aviva Stadium will not be used as an excuse for Saturday’s defeat tostruggling South Africa.

SOUTH AFRICA captain Victor Matfield will take comfort in familiarity if not experience when he leads the world champions out to take on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow (5.30pm).

SOUTH AFRICA lock Bakkies Botha has apologised to his team-mates after being banned for his head-butt on New Zealand scrum-half Jimmy Cowan.

SO there we were sipping coffee in the Burlington Hotel lobby yesterday, waiting for the Springbok press conference to start. Wondering if we had the hotel right.

JP Pietersen and Andries Bekker are to return home from Australia after sustaining injuries during South Africa’s 32-25 Tri-Nations victory over the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday.

VICTOR MATFIELD believes the last two weeks which have produced back-to-back Tri-Nations victories over New Zealand will count for nothing when South Africa run out against Australia in Cape Town.

SOUTH AFRICA expect a backlash from the International Rugby Board (IRB) following a decision by Springbok players and management to wear white armbands with the word “Justice” printed on them during the third Test with the British and Irish Lions here in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The International Rugby Board are investigating South Africa’s protest against the suspension of Bakkies Botha during yesterday’s third Test against the British and Irish Lions.

South Africa’s players made a protest in support of banned Springboks lock Bakkies Botha in today’s third Test against the British and Irish Lions at Ellis Park.

SOUTH AFRICA captain John Smit has slammed the “ludicrous” decision that means Springboks hard man Bakkies Botha will miss today’s final Lions showdown.

SIMON SHAW is ready for the launch of mission improbable tomorrow after completing a 12-year journey into the Lions Test team.

SOUTH Africa assistant coach Gary Gold has revealed Schalk Burger was always going to be in the starting line-up for the series against the British and Irish Lions as long as he was fit.

THE great Willie John McBride might just have dropped one of his successors as captain of the Lions into a bit of trouble in South Africa.

Ireland forwards coach Gert Smal has said that Irish second-row Donncha O'Callaghan reminds him of South Africa's Bakkies Botha.

TOMORROW’s World Cup final could be Victor Matfield’s last opportunity to pick up a major piece of silverware — and he is determined to grab it with both hands.

Diego Ormaechea has warned South Africa to expect an improved Uruguay when the countries meet in their Pool C encounter at Subiaco Oval later today.

SOUTH AFRICA’S rugby reputation was tainted again yesterday after forward Bakkies Botha was banned for eight weeks and prop Robbie Kempson for four weeks in the aftermath of the spiteful Tri-Nations Test with Australia here.