In the lead-up to facing Ireland anyone wearing a Springbok tracksuit proclaimed that the Autumn tour to Ireland, Britain and Italy was the beginning of their World Cup preparation and not an isolated sequence of games.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter paid a moving tribute to his “dear friend” Nelson Mandela following the death of the former South African president.

MARTIN JOHNSON insists England’s preparations for tomorrow’s clash with Romania will not be thrown off course by the arrival in Dunedin of Zara Phillips.

South Africa 87 Namibia 0

HT: South Africa 31 Namibia 0

SOUTH AFRICA’S flying wing Bryan Habana has praised Ireland for shaking up the World Cup following their famous win over Australia.

In a month or so where dropped passes will be called disasters, missed kicks labelled catastrophes and defeats likened to tragedies, the stories of Joost Van der Westhuizen and former Springbok team-mates puts things in perspective, explains Ciaran Cronin.

FORMER South Africa captain Joost van der Westhuizen has been diagnosed with a form of motor neurone disease, his publicist has confirmed.

IT WAS Shakespeare’s Malvolio — a holding player with secret ambitions to be what Italian soccer calls a “fantastista” — who delivered the most enduring definition of greatness.

A WARM Australian smile and handshake greets you when you inform Luke Burgess you’re Irish because the new Wallaby scrumhalf isn’t shy to talk about his Irish roots — and it’s quite a lineage.

England 0 South Africa 20

Former New Zealand star Zinzan Brooke is relishing the prospect of coaching the Barbarians against Leicester in the NIG Challenge match on Wednesday.

A PLANNED breakfast to show ‘reveal all’ footage of a controversial Springbok military-style boot camp ahead of last year’s World Cup has been shelved.

Joost van der Westhuizen today warned South Africa’s World Cup rivals that his squad are motivated by the unifying spirit of 1995 and the historic day the Springboks were handed the World Cup by president Nelson Mandela.

South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli believes he has a squad rich in youthful talent but has also backed the importance of his veterans going into Saturday’s quarter-final against New Zealand in Melbourne.

Samoa’s World Cup adventure came to an abrupt end today as fly-half Derick Hougaard steered South Africa towards a potential quarter-final showdown with New Zealand.

South Africa, inspired by fly-half Derick Hougaard, took charge of their make-or-break World Cup clash against Samoa today by cruising into a 31-3 interval lead.

South Africa and Samoa came face-to-face in a World Cup Pool C eliminator at the Suncorp Stadium today.

SOUTH AFRICA, whose World Cup hopes seem doomed, look certain to turn to 20-year-old Derick Hougaard at flyhalf for their remaining group matches against Georgia and Samoa.

Clive Woodward's England faced their day of destiny at Subiaco Oval as the Six Nations champions took on South Africa in a potentially explosive Pool C tussle.

ENGLAND will go into their biggest Test match since the 1999 World Cup without injured Lions Matt Dawson and Richard Hill.

Ma’a Nonu will be the centre of attention tomorrow when the All Blacks take on Canada, but the rising Wellington star would be happier if no-one noticed him.

WALLABIES wonderboy Stephen Larkham is about to jump on Jonny Wilkinson’s status as the world’s best fly-half.

South Africa 72 Uruguay 6

South Africa 36 Uruguay 6

South Africa began their World Cup campaign against Uruguay at Subiaco Oval today without controversial skipper Corne Krige.

Diego Ormaechea has warned South Africa to expect an improved Uruguay when the countries meet in their Pool C encounter at Subiaco Oval later today.

Joost van der Westhuizen has warned South Africa to expect a “very physical game” when the Springboks launch their World Cup campaign against Uruguay tomorrow night.

SOUTH AFRICA bad-boy Bakkies Botha has been named in the Springboks side to face Uruguay in their opening World Cup match on Saturday as skipper Corne Krige was rested.

Springboks coach Rudolf Straeuli has played down fitness fears surrounding his World Cup captain Corne Krige.

SOUTH AFRICA have warned they are ready to get even more physical as they attempt to break their Tri-Nations losing streak in the ‘House of Pain’ against New Zealand in Carisbrook tomorrow.

South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli has named his seventh new midfield combination in as many Tests as the Springboks enter their final Test match before the World Cup with anything but a settled side.

World Cup-winning scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen is the biggest of the six names axed from the South Africa side to face Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.

SOUTH AFRICA can prove their Tri-Nations triumph over Australia was no fluke by beating greatest rivals New Zealand at Loftus Stadium today.

South Africa 28 Scotland 19

South Africa 29 Scotland 25

Scottish fly-half Gregor Townsend has a simple recipe to stop South Africa in their first Test tomorrow at King’s Park – halt Joost van der Westhuizen and the rest will follow.

SCOTLAND coach Ian McGeechan has made five changes to the side for tomorrow’s Test match against South Africa in Durban.

South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli has named four uncapped players in a new-look starting XV for the first Test against Scotland in Durban on Saturday.

Percy Montgomery is set to continue a Springbok exodus by joining Newport next week.

Newport are expected to announce the signing of former New Zealand All Blacks scrum-half Junior Tonu’u today.

Australia 14 South Africa 14