Ireland lock Donncha O’Callaghan is one of four players added to the Barbarians’ 24-man squad to face England on June 1.

Italy’s Sergio Parisse will captain the Barbarians against the British and Irish Lions in Hong Kong this Saturday.

Lock Neil McComb was the hero for Ulster as he raced over for a match-winning try three minutes from the end to give new coach Mark Anscombe a winning start.

Canterbury fly-half Colin Slade has won the battle to be Aaron Cruden’s back-up for New Zealand’s final Tri Nations match against Australia in Sydney on September 11.

GRAHAM HENRY expects his New Zealand side to face a much-changed South Africa one when the two countries meet in the Tri-Nations on Saturday.

NEW ZEALAND have made three changes to the side that hammered Australia 49-28 in Melbourne on Saturday for this weekend’s return match in Christchurch.

New Zealand have made three changes to the side that hammered Australia 49-28 in Melbourne on Saturday for this weekend's return match in Christchurch.

SOUTH AFRICA lock Bakkies Botha has apologised to his team-mates after being banned for his head-butt on New Zealand scrum-half Jimmy Cowan.

WHILE the Super 14 is more commonly associated with dazzling backs and fingertip handling, it’s the forward-oriented pursuit of the lineout that is the primary focus at international level as the 2010 Tri Nations hovers into view.

BALANCE.

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry has made five changes and two positional switches to his starting line-up for the dead rubber Tri-Nations match against Australia in Wellington.

SOUTH Africa coach Peter de Villiers has described Morne Steyn as a match winner after calling up the fly-half to replace the injured Ruan Pienaar for Saturday’s Tri-Nations Test match with New Zealand.

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.

ALL BLACK fly-half Dan Carter has been ruled out of Perpignan’s European Cup game against Leicester on Saturday despite starting a six-month contract for the French side yesterday.

South Africa captain John Smit will lead a star-studded Barbarians side against Australia in Wednesday’s Olympic centenary clash at Wembley.

TOBY FLOOD steps into the number 10 limelight vacated by Danny Cipriani at Twickenham on Saturday determined to make some publicity of his own.

GRAHAM HENRY expects “the kitchen sink” from Wales on Saturday when they attempt to derail New Zealand’s potential grand slam tour.

Wellington scrum-half Piri Weepu will captain New Zealand for the first time against Munster at Thomond Park.

Wales star Shane Williams has been named in the Barbarians squad for next month’s London Olympic Centenary match against Australia at Wembley.

JAKE WHITE ends his reign as South Africa coach ready to consider a host of job offers — including from Guinness Premiership clubs and a fourth division Welsh side.

England hooker Mark Regan has been included in the Barbarians team to face South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.

BYRON KELLEHER last night pleaded for compassion from the New Zealand public as the All Blacks reflected on another failed World Cup.

AS EXPECTED, coach Graham Henry has made a number of changes to the All Black team that enjoyed a big win over Italy last Saturday for this weekend’s meeting with World Cup minnows Portugal.

Canterbury duo Greg Somerville and Andrew Ellis have overcome injury to seal places in New Zealand’s World Cup squad.

NEW Zealand rugby selectors picked scrum-half Brendon Leonard and prop John Schwalger for the first time and omitted winger Rico Gear for the All Blacks’ final matches before the World Cup.

THE All Blacks defended using security guards to ward off spies at training after yesterday naming their “A team” to face Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.

New Zealand flanker Richie McCaw has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Test against England at Twickenham.

New Zealand head coach Graham Henry has named Sitiveni Sivivatu and Doug Howlett on the wings for Saturday’s highly-anticipated clash with England at Twickenham.

ALL BLACKS captain Tana Umaga may be shielded from playing in front of irate Irish rugby fans next month as coach Graham Henry looks to keep his players’ workloads in check during a rare Grand Slam tour.

John Lewis

IF Munster’s pre-season form is anything to go by, then the team will improve on last year, according to centre Rob Henderson.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry today named two new caps in the side to face Wales in Saturday’s Test at the Millennium Stadium.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry was true to his word today when he named his team to face England in Dunedin on Saturday.

Beaten semi-finalists New Zealand and France have taken vastly different approaches to Thursday’s World Cup third-place play-off.

Hosts and defending champions Australia take on the mighty All Blacks in the first of the World Cup semi-finals today in Sydney.

New Zealand’s coaching team John Mitchell and Robbie Deans today warned the All Blacks will need to up their game or be sent packing by Australia in Saturday’s World Cup semi-final.

New Zealand coach John Mitchell today named an unchanged starting line-up for Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against Australia.

Hard-hitting number eight Jerry Collins returned to the New Zealand starting line-up today as All Blacks coach John Mitchell named his strongest available side to face Wales on Sunday.

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.

Brad Thorn will make his first Test start in New Zealand’s Tri-Nations clash with South Africa on Saturday in a line-up that features five changes from that which thumped Australia 10 days ago.

JOHN MITCHELL has dropped captain Anton Oliver from the All Black side to contest the annual Tri-Nations Series with Australia and South Africa.

New Zealand coach John Mitchell has wielded the axe after his side’s weekend defeat by England.