AUSTRALIA’S new era under coach John Connolly began with a crushing 34-3 win over England yesterday, helped by an unlikely try from hulking prop Rodney “Rodzilla” Blake on his Test debut.

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

FIVE newcomers are included in the 31-man Australian squad for next month’s four-nation European tour, during which the Wallabies will face Ireland.

Australia’s dismal run of injuries continued on Friday when NSW Waratahs prop forward Matt Dunning failed to complete training.

Australia’s rising injury toll has forced head coach Eddie Jones to bring in four new faces to his 28-man squad for the final Test of the Tri-Nations, against New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday September 3.

Australia 19 South Africa 22

Australia coach Eddie Jones is upbeat about his team’s chances of ending a 42-year hoodoo at Ellis Park in Johannesburg in a fortnight’s time.

SUPER 12 champions ACT Brumbies came back well to defeat New Zealand rivals Canterbury Crusaders at home on the opening weekend of the competition.

AUSTRALIA coach Eddie Jones wants his side to match England’s physicality at Twickenham on Saturday and vowed: “We will be brutal.”

Australia coach Eddie Jones wants his side to match England’s physicality at Twickenham on Saturday and vowed: “We will be brutal.”

Elton Flatley, who so nearly dashed England’s dreams in the World Cup final a year ago, has returned to the Australia side for their defence of the Cook Cup at Twickenham on Saturday.

England fly-half Charlie Hodgson has described comparisons between himself and Jonny Wilkinson as an issue which “comes with the territory”.

Australia centre Stirling Mortlock is on a flight back to Australia after suffering a depressed cheek-bone in Saturday’s 31-17 win over Scotland at Hampden Park.

Australia must count the cost of their pyrrhic victory over Scotland as they approach next weekend's Twickenham date with England nursing a long injury list.

Scotland 17 Australia 31

FORMER England captain Lawrence Dallaglio has been nominated for a prestigious international award. He is among five players in contention for the 2004 Investec International Players’ Player of the Year.

Scotland 14 Australia 31

Scotland 14 Australia 31

Kiwis Reuben Thorne and Justin Marshall were among eight players included in the Barbarians squad to face New Zealand at Twickenham next month.

London Irish back Mike Catt and Sale Sharks forward Chris Jones have been added to the Barbarian squad which will take on New Zealand at Twickenham on December 4.

Australia 30 South Africa 26

New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup with victory over Australia in wet and windy Wellington today.

Australia coach Eddie Jones may have branded New Zealand cheats but All Blacks coach Graham Henry has been nothing but complimentary to the Wallabies.

LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO took stock of England’s demise during their demoralising southern hemisphere tour, but vowed: “We shall rebuild and come back a much stronger side.”

Australia 51 England 15

Morgan Turinui, a try-scorer in yesterday’s 34-13 victory over Scotland, has been dropped from the Australia squad to take on England in next Saturday’s World Cup final rematch.

Scotland will have to brace themselves for the return of Stirling Mortlock and Phil Waugh to the Australia side after Eddie Jones today named his starting line-up for Saturday’s second Test in Sydney.

Australia 35 Scotland 15

Hugo Southwell completed a remarkable rise to prominence today when he was named as Scotland’s starting full-back to take on Australia, the World Cup finalists, in Melbourne on Sunday.

Head coach Matt Williams today admitted Scotland face a “massive task” in Sunday’s first Test against Australia in Melbourne but backed his players to rise to the challenge.

Scotland will face a new-look Australia side in Sunday’s first Test after Wallabies coach Eddie Jones awarded Clyde Rathbone and Radike Samo their international debuts.

Australia coach Eddie Jones has called up ACT Brumbies reserve scrum-half Matt Henjak into his squad for the Wallabies’ first Test against Scotland on June 13 to replace the injured Elton Flatley.

Elton Flatley will play no part in Australia’s two-Test series against Scotland or the World Cup final rematch with England after breaking his arm.

Newcastle are confident that ACT Brumbies Super 12 star Radike Samo will be a Falcons player next season.

Australia have included five new players in their squad for the forthcoming Tests against Scotland and England – and they are all from the Super 12-winning ACT Brumbies team.

England will host rugby union’s Under-21 World Cup later this year.