At last the hype is over and the British and Irish Lions are back in business.

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.

AUSTRALIA centre Rob Horne yesterday withdrew from the Wallabies team to face Wales at the Millennium Stadium today (2.30pm) due to a hamstring injury.

WALES were left kicking themselves after suffering their third narrow defeat of a World Cup campaign that could easily have seen them contesting tomorrow’s final against New Zealand.

Full-back Kurtley Beale will return to the Australia team for Friday’s World Cup bronze medal match against Wales in Auckland.

NEW ZEALAND head coach Graham Henry hailed the All Blacks’ 20-6 destruction of Australia in the Rugby World Cup semi-final as “outstanding”.

Australia full-back Kurtley Beale has been ruled out of the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand with a hamstring strain.

Australia will give full-back Kurtley Beale every chance to prove his fitness for Sunday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

AUSTRALIA crept into the World Cup semi-finals after James O’Connor landed a late penalty to send champions South Africa crashing out.

AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans admits the Wallabies’ injury crisis has forced him to be “creative” in his team selection for tomorrow’s World Cup clash with Russia (3.30am Irish time).

Australia have named number eight Radike Samo on the wing for Saturday’s World Cup clash with Russia in Nelson.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett isn’t holding out much hope for victory against Australia tomorrow.

JAMES O’CONNOR has vowed to win back his spot in the Australia side after being named on the bench for Sunday’s World Cup opener against Italy.

James O’Connor has vowed to win back his spot in the Australia side after being named on the bench for Sunday’s World Cup opener against Italy.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has retained the line-up that beat New Zealand last time out for next Sunday’s World Cup Pool C game against Italy in Auckland.

AUSTRALIA trio James O’Connor, Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale have denied rumours they were involved in an altercation while on tour in France last November.

Rocky Elsom has been sensationally dumped as Australia skipper for the World Cup campaign.

AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans hailed his side’s display after last week’s shock defeat to Samoa following their commanding 39-20 victory over South Africa last night.

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.

IT IS usually wise to downplay the opposition before a huge Test match, but Australia captain Rocky Elsom has a simple message for his side ahead of their visit to Croke Park next Sunday: this is the best team in Ireland’s history.

WALLABIES vice-captain Berrick Barnes has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks after rolling his left ankle at training in Tokyo yesterday.

ANY hopes Munster may have harboured of star signing Jean de Villiers arriving early in Ireland were dashed in Brisbane on Saturday as Australia recorded a remarkable 21-9 Tri-Nations win over South Africa.

THE Tri-Nations tournament is South Africa’s to lose after Peter de Villiers’ side racked up their fourth straight win with a 32-25 victory over Australia in Perth on Saturday.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made five changes to his starting line-up for Saturday’s crunch clash with South Africa in Perth.

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.

ROBBIE DEANS has named seven uncapped players in his first Australia squad for the Test against Ireland on June 14.