South Africa 22 England 17

South Africa 9 Australia 11

HT: South Africa 21 Fiji 3

VETERAN Bakkies Botha is a doubt for South Africa’s World Cup opener against Wales in Wellington on Sunday.

Veteran Bakkies Botha is a doubt for South Africa’s World Cup opener against Wales in Wellington on Sunday.

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.

Juan Smith will captain South Africa when they take on the Barbarians next weekend in their final match of the season, it has been announced today.

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.

RICHIE McCAW has history with Ireland. Lots of it.

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 have made three changes to the starting XV, with one positional switch, for Saturday’s Test against Scotland at Murrayfield.

South Africa head 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.

Pierre Spies has committed his future to the Bulls by signing a contract extension that will keep him in Pretoria until the end of 2012.

ALLISTER COETZEE insists there is no truth in reports of a planned coup involving himself and Jake White aimed at toppling South African national coach Peter de Villiers.

Allister Coetzee insists there is no truth in reports of a planned coup involving himself and Jake White aimed at toppling national coach Peter de Villiers.

South Africa 44 Australia 31

Front row pair BJ Botha and Tendai Mtawarira are among five player that have been dropped from the South Africa squad to face New Zealand in their Tri Nations encounter in Johannesburg on Saturday.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has rung the changes ahead of Saturday’s Tri Nations clash with Australia at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

New Zealand 31 South Africa 17

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has made two enforced changes for the second Tri Nations Test in Wellington on Saturday as his team look to make amends for their humbling loss to New Zealand.

South Africa 42 France 17

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.

HARD man to second guess, is Declan Kidney.

South Africa’s big names are back in the starting XV for the Test match against France on Friday.

MARCUS HORAN missed Ireland team training time yesterday in the University of Limerick as the squad began preparations for the Guinness Series games this November.

I LOVE this phase of the season when the big boys from down under come to town and we are treated to a host of quality international rugby.

Davon Raubenheimer has been brought in to the South Africa starting line-up for Friday night’s match against Leicester at Welford Road.

Ronan O’Gara has revealed that he was knocked out cold moments before he missed a crucial tackle in the British & Irish Lions’ second Test defeat by South Africa.

Young New Zealand lock Isaac Ross is expecting another stern examination at line-out time against South Africa in this weekend’s Tri-Nations clash in Bloemfontein.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers has backed Jaque Fourie to fill the void created by the loss of centre Adi Jacobs for the Springboks’ Tri-Nations opener against New Zealand on Saturday.

SPRINGBOKS coach Peter de Villiers yesterday accused sections of the British and Irish Lions travelling press of trying to whip up unnecessary controversy during the current tour.

Peter de Villiers has made 10 changes to his South Africa side to face the British and Irish Lions in the third Test at Ellis Park on Saturday.

VICTOR MATFIELD believes referee Christophe Berdos should be left to do his job and the rest should adapt when the second Test against the British and Irish Lions kicks off today.

THIS is it. A week before schedule, the point of no return has been reached. A victory for the Springboks would signal mission accomplished and they could even make wholesale changes for the third and final test, downgrading its importance.

THE Lions have every reason to remember Heinrich Brussow, the flanker South African coach Pieter de Villiers chose to ignore.

ONE SHUDDERS to think what might have happened had the Royal XV been lifted and energised by the support of a capacity home crowd in Rustenburg last Saturday.

IN-FORM Bulls’ centre Wynand Olivier will be back to give the Waikato Chiefs an even harder time in the New Zealanders’ first Super 14 final in Pretoria tomorrow (Sky Sports Xtra, 4pm)

FOUR years have whizzed by since Jono Gibbes enjoyed his moment of glory against the British and Irish Lions. The Leinster forwards coach was captain of the New Zealand Maori for the third game of that ill-fated tour and, with nine All Blacks in the first XV and three more on the bench, it was billed as an unofficial fourth test.

SOUTH AFRICA have the players to overcome any challenge the British and Irish Lions throw at them during their three-test tour, former World Cup-winning Springbok coach Jake White said yesterday.

WITH LESS than three weeks to go before Ian McGeechan announces the Lions squad to tour South Africa, every amateur pundit in Britain and Ireland is choosing their favourites to don the famous red jersey.

Scotland 10 South Africa 14

World champions South Africa recorded their 10th successive victory over Wales - but only after surviving a major scare at the Millennium Stadium.

Bakkies Botha has been named in a full-strength South Africa XV for Saturday’s Test against Wales in Cardiff.

Bakkies Botha has been named in a full-strength South Africa XV for Saturday’s Test against Wales in Cardiff.