Ireland and Australia have kicked off their Pool A World Cup decider, with a quarter-final place against Scotland up for grabs.

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.

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 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 today made just one enforced change to the Wallabies side that beat Argentina in the World Cup’s opening game – but sprung an unexpected surprise on the bench.

Veteran utility back Matt Burke was today included in the Australia squad to play Argentina in Friday’s Rugby World Cup curtain-raiser after Stirling Mortlock was ruled out with gastroenteritis.

Eleven of Australia’s key players will go into the defence of the World Cup without having played a match in eight weeks.

The continuing misfortunes of Andrew Mehrtens and Jonah Lomu continue to dominate the build-up to New Zealand’s Tri-Nations clash with Australia on Saturday.

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.

Chris Latham’s international season went full circle on Wednesday when he was re-instated to the Australia side for this weekend’s Tri-Nations Test against South Africa.

SUPPORT for banned Irish rugby international Frank Sheahan mounted yesterday when his club called for full clarification on the use of asthma inhalers.

Phil Waugh has replaced George Smith as Australia’s openside flanker for Saturday’s international against Wales at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney.

Australia 45

Australia have made one change for the Tri-Nations Series clash with South Africa in Perth on Saturday night.

Australia have lost two key players for Saturday's deciding third Test against the Lions at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Teams for Australia versus the Lions, second Test, Colonial Stadium, Melbourne, tomorrow, kick-off 10am (Irish time).

Australia have made three changes for the second Test against the Lions at Melbourne’s Colonial Stadium on Saturday following last weekend’s 29-13 loss in Brisbane.

Coach Rod Macqueen today named uncapped props Nick Stiles and Ben Darwin in a 22-man Wallabies squad for Saturday’s first Test against the Lions.

The British and Irish Lions side has been hit by two more injuries ahead of Saturday’s game against the Queensland Reds