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.

New Zealand 32 South Africa 12

VICTOR MATFIELD anticipates a tight tussle when South Africa meet Italy in the first game of a two-Test series at the Puma Stadium in Witbank today.

SOUTH AFRICA vice-captain Victor Matfield has warned his side that the battle of the breakdown will be crucial when they host France in Cape Town today (1pm Irish time).

RONAN O’GARA last night revealed the depth of his hurt at being dropped for Ireland’s clash with world champions South Africa last November.

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.

MUNSTER centre Jean de Villiers has been called up to the South Africa squad for Saturday’s clash against Ireland at Croke Park.

Ireland flanker David Wallace believes South Africa will be inspired by the ’battle of the hemispheres’ as they launch one final defence of their global supremacy.

IRELAND team manager Paul McNaughton has warned that world champions South Africa are not a team on a “slippery slope” despite their unimpressive performances on their European tour.

Italy 10 South Africa 32

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.

SOUTH AFRICA captain John Smit has put his personal milestone aside and vowed to concentrate only on beating New Zealand today as the world champions aim to continue their winning start to the Tri-Nations.

Bryan Habana is hoping that South Africa will rectify the defensive errors made in the first Test against the British and Irish Lions when they take on the tourists in a potential series-decider in Pretoria this week.

SOUTH Africa assistant coach Gary Gold has revealed Schalk Burger was always going to be in the starting line-up for the series against the British and Irish Lions as long as he was fit.

IRELAND full-back Rob Kearney, who realised a lifetime ambition when coming on for the Lions at Kings Park on Saturday, believes a Test series victory is still possible.

GORDON D’ARCY’s slim Lions prospects were eliminated yesterday when head coach Ian McGeechan confirmed he would not be calling up a replacement for the injured Tom Shanklin.

MARTIN JOHNSON believes victory over South Africa today would be a seminal moment in his quest to re-establish England as the dominant force in world rugby.

The South Africa Rugby Union on Saturday moved to quash reports of a blackmail attempt to influence coach Peter de Villiers’ selection of the Springbok squad.

South Africa lock Victor Matfield has dismissed suggestions Saturday’s Tri-Nations clash with Australia is a dead rubber, despite the Springboks having nothing left to play for.