Where the key battles will be fought.

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.

Finally the ARU have shown a bit of leadership and common sense.

Australia have named Tri-Nations winning captain James Horwill as their skipper for the British and Irish Lions Tour.

Code-hopper Israel Folau is one of three new caps in Australia’s preliminary 25-man squad to face the British and Irish Lions, with in-form Reds playmaker Quade Cooper the most notable omission.

England 14 Australia 20

Referee Alain Rolland was wrong not to allow Australia to make a late substitution and finish their match against South Africa with 15 men, the International Rugby Board (IRB) said hours after backing the officials’ original decision.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has brought in five players to an extended squad for the Wallabies’ next Rugby Championship match against South Africa.

Wingers Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner have been included in Australia’s training squad as they prepare for the Rugby Championship.

It’s now or never for the Irish rugby squad if they wish to create history and beat New Zealand on their own hollowed turf.

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 coach Robbie Deans believes his side’s improved scrummaging will stand them in good stead ahead of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup-Tri Nations match with New Zealand at Eden Park.

THE three southern hemisphere giants step up their World Cup preparations with the start of the Tri Nations this weekend — but the tournament is unlikely to prove an accurate guide as to who will lift the William Webb Ellis trophy in Auckland in October.

MATT GITEAU’S chances of playing in a third Rugby World Cup have suffered a major blow after he was left out of Australia’s squad for Saturday’s Tri Nations opener against South Africa in Sydney.

Matt Giteau's chances of playing in a third Rugby World Cup have suffered a major blow after the veteran playmaker was left out of Australia's squad for Saturday's Tri Nations opener against South Africa.

Waratahs and Australia prop Benn Robinson has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup after scans revealed he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in training yesterday.

Stephen Moore has returned to the Australia line-up for this weekend's Cook Cup clash with England.

Australia coach Robbie Deans will place an emphasis on scrummaging this week as his side look to avoid a repeat of their front-row horror show against Wales when they face England on Saturday.

Australia selectors have named 12 uncapped players in an extended 40-man training squad ahead of the upcoming spring tour of Hong Kong and Europe.

Lachie Turner has been named in the Australia XV for Saturday’s clash with New Zealand in Sydney.

Australia coach Robbie Deans welcomes back three of his big guns for Saturday night’s Tri Nations encounter with South Africa in Brisbane.

Winger Drew Mitchell is the most notable omission from Australia's squad for the forthcoming Tri-Nations series.

Australia have suffered yet another injury blow ahead of Saturday's one-off Test against Ireland in Brisbane after veteran lock Nathan Sharpe was ruled out with a back complaint.

Australia centre Matt Giteau has been ruled out of tomorrow's Cook Cup clash with England after failing to overcome a hip injury.

IT’S THE same question every year. As sure as Cork and Kerry will produce a draw in the Munster football championship, we speculate as to who from the home nations is capable of producing any kind of a win on the annual summer sojourns to the southern hemisphere.

Martin Johnson confirmed today that Australia's arch nemesis Jonny Wilkinson will be fit to tackle the Wallabies in Perth next Saturday.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has handed debuts to three players for the Test against Fiji on Saturday and the contentious number 10 jersey has gone to Quade Cooper.

Jerry Flannery believes Ireland are facing Italy at the worst possible time with their attritional style and reckons patience will be the key to victory in this weekend’s RBS 6 Nations opener.

Wales 12 Australia 33

AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans insists his side have put the shock of their first defeat in 27 years to Scotland behind them as they prepare to take on Wales.

Scotland 9 Australia 8

Australia today made just one change to their starting XV for Saturday’s autumn international against Scotland.

Jerry Flannery believes Cian Healy's impressive Test debut has offered a vital option at prop as Ireland continue their search for precious front-row resources.

IRELAND captain Brian O’Driscoll lavished praise on his half-back combination of Ronan O’Gara and Tomás O’Leary after yesterday’s 20-20 draw with Australia at Croke Park.

The Six Nations Grand Slam champions of the Northern Hemisphere take on Australia, the wooden spoon holders from the Tri-Nations Championship, at Croke Park tomorrow.

Openside David Pocock gets the nod over George Smith as the only change to the Wallabies starting side named today for Sunday’s Test against Ireland at Croke Park.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made four changes to Australia’s starting side to play Saturday’s historic Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Japan

Australia 21 South Africa 6

New Zealand drew first blood in the 2009 Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations series with an entertaining, hard-fought 22-16 win against Australia in Auckland on Saturday.

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.

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 coach John Connolly is boosted by the return of fly-half Stephen Larkham for Saturday’s Test against Wales in Brisbane, while Western Force winger Digby Ioane will win his first Wallabies cap.