AS a New Zealander, it’s been hard these past 24 hours to concentrate on anything but the tournament-ending injury suffered by Dan Carter at training on Saturday. The photos of him lying on the ground in obvious agony had already warned New Zealanders that the news would not be good.

South Africa 13 Samoa 5

Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield have been ruled out of South Africa’s World Cup clash against Fiji in Wellington on Saturday.

WELSH full-back James Hook believes his early penalty went over and his side should have beaten reigning world champions South Africa in their thrilling opener yesterday.

Wales 16 South Africa 17

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers will rely on the core of the squad that became world champions four years ago after naming his 30-man World Cup squad tonight.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has named six uncapped players in his preliminary 49-man squad for their World Cup defence.

South Africa have named seven uncapped players in a 51-man squad called up for a team planning session in Cape Town next month ahead of the World Cup and international season.

South Africa have called uncapped centre Andries Strauss into their squad to face the Barbarians after Zane Kirchner was ruled out by injury.

THE sight of South African props falling to their knees in relief and their team-mates raising arms to the stars in triumph at the final whistle spoke volumes about how much victory over Ireland meant to an under-fire Springboks camp.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers touches down in Dublin with the injury-hit Springboks at lunchtime today, impressed with his players’ preparatory work and attitude shown ahead of Saturday’s Test against Ireland.

IT IS somewhat unfortunate that the ongoing saga about the IRFU ticketing policy has overshadowed the return of international rugby to its traditional home in Lansdowne Road.

SOUTH AFRICA have been hit with further worries as they prepare to head to Dublin for this Saturday’s Test with Ireland.

Out-half Jonathan Sexton will start for Leinster against Racing-Metro in Pool 2 of the Heineken Cup at The RDS tomorrow afternoon (1.30pm).

ROB KEARNEY believes Toulon and Racing Metro need to prove their worth at Heineken Cup level before they can be considered challengers.

LONDON IRISH stayed top of the Aviva Premiership with a 40-24 win over Leeds Carnegie, but Heineken Cup opponents Munster will have seen plenty of weaknesses to exploit in a shaky defensive display as they prepare to visit the Madejski Stadium.

South Africa 44 Australia 31

South Africa lock Victor Matfield has again reiterated his intentions to quit rugby after next year’s World Cup as he prepares for his 100th game in a Springbok jersey.

Frans Steyn insists the past is irrelevant as he looks to put a forgettable few weeks behind him when he runs out for South Africa against Australia on Saturday.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers says Frans Steyn’s kicking ability was the decisive factor in his selection for the Tri Nations encounter against Australia on Saturday.

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers has made two changes to his side ahead of Saturday’s game against Australia in Pretoria.

Front row pair BJ Botha and Tendai Mtawarira are among five player that have been dropped from the South Africa squad to face New Zealand in their Tri Nations encounter in Johannesburg on Saturday.

FRANS STEYN has been ruled out of next week’s Tri Nations encounter against New Zealand in Johannesburg due to injury.

Frans Steyn has been ruled out of next week’s Tri Nations encounter against New Zealand in Johannesburg due to injury.

NEW ZEALAND centre Conrad Smith believes New Zealand are putting the foundations in place for their latest tilt at ending their recent World Cup hoodoo.

THE All Blacks have vowed to repay fans with an entertaining style of rugby against Ireland after they were mobbed for a second straight day in Taranaki.

John Smit and Victor Matfield are among a group of 10 players to be awarded national contracts by the South African Rugby Union that will run until next year’s World Cup.

AFTER terrorising the British & Irish Lions, as well as the southern hemisphere teams with his right boot, Springbok fly-half Morné Steyn hopes he can cause equal damage on a Europe tour that begins against France in Toulouse tomorrow night.

South Africa’s big names are back in the starting XV for the Test match against France on Friday.

AUSTRALIA have finalised preparations for today’s Tri-Nations clash with South Africa at Subiaco Oval in Perth and remain confident of a victory to remain alive in the competition.

Ruan Pienaar was today handed a surprise recall to the starting line-up for South Africa’s Tri-Nations encounter against Australia in Perth on Saturday.

NEW ZEALAND were left to lament costly errors after going down 28-19 to South Africa in the Tri-Nations match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

South Africa 28 New Zealand 19

SPRINGBOKS coach Peter de Villiers yesterday accused sections of the British and Irish Lions travelling press of trying to whip up unnecessary controversy during the current tour.

Peter de Villiers has made 10 changes to his South Africa side to face the British and Irish Lions in the third Test at Ellis Park on Saturday.

GET SET for a rare treat in modern international rugby — a three-test series. The question on everyone’s lips, however, is how competitive will it be and for how long?

SOUTH AFRICA assistant coach Gary Gold insists there is no danger the Springboks will go into tomorrow’s first Test against the British and Irish Lions under-prepared.

AFTER all the speculation, the Lions side to contest tomorrow’s opening test was widely predictable and lacked the bolter element of Paul Wallace and Jeremy Davidson 12 years ago.

ASSISTANT coach Dick Muir believes South Africa are well prepared for the first Test against the Lions despite the absence of Schalk Burger for the opening match in Durban on Saturday.

Heinrich Brussow has walked straight into South Africa's starting line-up for the first Test against the British and Irish Lions in Durban on Saturday.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers is encouraged by the progress made by key duo Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn ahead of the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers is encouraged by the progress made by key duo Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn ahead of the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.

ONE SHUDDERS to think what might have happened had the Royal XV been lifted and energised by the support of a capacity home crowd in Rustenburg last Saturday.

FORMER South Africa coach Carel du Plessis does not believe the country’s current injury woes in key positions is a problem ahead of the British and Irish Lions series that begins next month.