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

South Africa are set to be without lock Victor Matfield and centre Jean de Villiers for their second World Cup Pool D match with Fiji on Saturday, the defending champions have said.

BY the time you read this I will have landed in Auckland after a stifling 36-hour trek with stopovers in London, Bangkok and Sydney.

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 9 Australia 14

Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussow have been recalled to the South Africa starting line-up for the first time in 21 months for Saturday’s Tri Nations clash with Australia in Durban.

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.

Australia 39 South Africa 20

THE three southern hemisphere giants step up their World Cup preparations with the start of the Tri Nations this weekend — but the tournament is unlikely to prove an accurate guide as to who will lift the William Webb Ellis trophy in Auckland in October.

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.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers is hoping last night's plane scare will draw his side closer together.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has named a severely weakened 27-man squad for the away leg of their Tri Nations campaign due to injuries suffered by a host of key players.

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

SPRINGBOK coach Peter de Villiers called on his team to change foreigners’ opinions that South Africans are a “bunch of hooligans” and that “there are elephants running in the streets”.

John Smit has been retained as South Africa captain for the upcoming international season, with Victor Matfield also remaining as vice captain.

LEINSTER will battle to retain the services of prop forward Mike Ross next season with increased speculation the Cork native is set for a return to his Munster roots following the departure of Tony Buckley to Sale Sharks.

SOUTH AFRICAN coach Peter de Villiers feels his side’s dreams of retaining the World Cup next year have been boosted by their campaign in the Northern Hemisphere.

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

Martin Johnson has demanded England take a cup final mentality into Saturday’s showdown with struggling world champions South Africa.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has made two changes for Saturday’s Test against England, following last week’s 21-17 defeat by Scotland.

WINGER Bryan Habana’s fractured a bone in his hand during training and will take no further part in South Africa’s tour of Britain and Ireland.

South Africa wing Bryan Habana will play no further part on the tour of Ireland and the UK after breaking a bone in his hand during training.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers is investigating the whole Springbok squad amid fears they may have taken a supplement which led to positive drug tests for two of their players.

South Africa will mull over making changes to their backline to face Wales on Saturday after Francois Steyn joined up with the Springbok squad yesterday.

A MUTED atmosphere from a predictably disappointing crowd and a sixth defeat in succession for the national side was hardly the homecoming the bigwigs at the IRFU would have imagined for the first rugby international at the Aviva Stadium.

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 praised Ronan O’Gara for his performance when the Munster fly-half entered the game as a substitute in yesterday’s game.

Victor Matfield believes South Africa’s character enabled them to take the first step towards redemption following an abysmal Tri-Nations.

Brian O’Driscoll admitted Ireland may have pursued the wrong game-plan in yesterday’s 23-21 defeat by South Africa at Aviva Stadium.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers hailed Ireland’s battling spirit after today’s match at Lansdowne Road.

SOUTH AFRICA captain Victor Matfield has primed Irish rugby fans for a backlash after hearing his side dismissed as a threat for this evening’s opening autumn international at the Aviva Stadium (5.30pm).

SOUTH AFRICA captain Victor Matfield will take comfort in familiarity if not experience when he leads the world champions out to take on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow (5.30pm).

Peter de Villiers admitted he had little choice when selecting his South Africa team for their Grand Slam tour opener against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers has announced his side that will face Ireland in the opening game of the 2010 Guinness series at the Aviva stadium on Saturday.

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.

IRELAND coach Declan Kidney yesterday refused to be drawn into the IRFU ticketing debate but said his side has a bigger responsibility than ever to perform, no matter how many people turn up at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday.

Prop Gurthro Steenkamp has been named the South African Player of the Year for 2010.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers has been forced to delay naming his team to face Ireland at the weekend until Thursday.

South Africa were dealt a major blow today after experienced flanker Schalk Burger and rookie centre Juan de Jongh were both ruled out of the Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland that starts this week.

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

STEPHEN FERRIS might not know his een, twee, dries (one, two, three) from his elbow, but he does not need a working knowledge of Afrikaans to identify a good Springbok side when he sees one.

Blue Bulls centre Wynand Olivier has been ruled out of South Africa’s year-end grand slam tour due to a groin injury.

SPRINGBOK coach Peter de Villiers has named 11 uncapped players in his preliminary 39-man training squad for their Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland.