Australia have made seven changes for Friday’s World Cup Pool C clash with the United States in Wellington as they seek to bounce back from their loss to Ireland.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett isn’t holding out much hope for victory against Australia tomorrow.

JAMES O’CONNOR has vowed to win back his spot in the Australia side after being named on the bench for Sunday’s World Cup opener against Italy.

James O’Connor has vowed to win back his spot in the Australia side after being named on the bench for Sunday’s World Cup opener against Italy.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has retained the line-up that beat New Zealand last time out for next Sunday’s World Cup Pool C game against Italy in Auckland.

AUSTRALIA trio James O’Connor, Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale have denied rumours they were involved in an altercation while on tour in France last November.

Rocky Elsom has been sensationally dumped as Australia skipper for the World Cup campaign.

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.

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.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made just two changes to his starting XV for the Wallabies’ final Test of 2010 against France on Saturday night.

IF ever Martin Johnson was going to dash down the touchline, punching the air in celebration like Jose Mourinho it was at Twickenham on Saturday.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has named an unchanged matchday 22 for his side’s James Bevan Trophy clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

WITH a year to go to Rugby World Cup 2011, tournament organisers in New Zealand says preparations are well on track, despite last week’s earthquake near Christchurch.

Australia have made three changes to their team to take on South Africa in the Tri Nations at Bloemfontein on Saturday with Stephen Moore, Mark Chisholm and Ben McCalman drafted in.

Quade Cooper has returned to the Australia starting line-up for Saturday’s Tri Nations encounter against South Africa in Pretoria in the only change made by coach Robbie Deans.

Australia wing Drew Mitchell has been spared the axe but Berrick Barnes and Stephen Moore have both been dumped to the bench ahead of Saturday’s vital Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand in Christchurch.

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

OUT on their feet and with their trench in danger of being overrun at the Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night, Ireland’s pack looked to the sidelines for the arrival of reinforcements.

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson did not once seriously consider his position despite criticism prior to Saturday’s win over Australia in Sydney.

FURIOUS Nick Easter warned heads will roll if England fail to beat Australia in Sydney next Saturday.

AUSTRALIA scrum-half star Will Genia gets the chance today (11.05am Irish time) to do what he loves doing best – beating England.

IT IS usually wise to downplay the opposition before a huge Test match, but Australia captain Rocky Elsom has a simple message for his side ahead of their visit to Croke Park next Sunday: this is the best team in Ireland’s history.

WALLABIES vice-captain Berrick Barnes has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks after rolling his left ankle at training in Tokyo yesterday.

ANY hopes Munster may have harboured of star signing Jean de Villiers arriving early in Ireland were dashed in Brisbane on Saturday as Australia recorded a remarkable 21-9 Tri-Nations win over South Africa.

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.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made five changes to his starting line-up for Saturday’s crunch clash with South Africa in Perth.

ENGLAND rugby coach Martin Johnson has denied rugby has a drug culture and claimed players are aware of the consequences if they take prohibited substances.

BARBARIANS captain Martin Corry, says Rocky Elsom’s game has undergone rapid transformation since moving to Leinster at the beginning of the season.

PETER DE VILLIERS has named three uncapped players in his South African XV to face a Namibian Invitational XV in Windhoek tomorrow.

Heineken Cup winners Rocky Elsom and Gordon D'Arcy will start for the Barbarians against England in Twickenham on Saturday.

Captain Leo Cullen, Rocky Elsom and Brian O’Driscoll return to the Leinster Squad to prepare for the Heineken Cup final against Leicester Tigers on Saturday.

Munster and Leinster have named their starting teams for tomorrow's Heineken Cup semi-final showdown at Croke Park.

THIS was a game to get over and for a large part of it, Leinster played that way.

BERNARD JACKMAN believes his Leinster team-mate Gordon D’Arcy may still have a role to play in this summer’s Lions tour to South Africa, despite being overlooked yesterday by Ian McGeechan.

Brian O'Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald are back in the Leinster squad for the Heineken Cup quarter final clash with Harlequins at The Twickenham Stoop on Sunday afternoon.

LEINSTER will roll out the big names for Saturday’s crucial Magners League clash with Munster at Thomond Park (7.30). The return of Brian O’Driscoll, Luke Fitzgerald, Jamie Heaslip and Rob Kearney was a no-brainer for coach Michael Cheika as Leinster set about trying to overhaul leaders Munster.

THE timing of Leo Cullen’s recovery from injury could hardly be more appropriate as Leinster go in search of further Magners League glory at the RDS this weekend.

THE Magners League came down to a two-horse race as defending champions Leinster overtook Munster with a gutsy second-half display against the Ospreys.

BERNARD JACKMAN returns to the Leinster line-up for tonight’s Magners League clash at the Liberty Stadium (KO: 7.05pm) in the only change from the side that defeated the Scarlets 31-17 last time out.

GORDON D’ARCY will again audition for a Six Nations starting berth this Friday when Leinster go to the Ospreys’ Liberty Stadium in search of a second successive Magners League win in Wales.

GORDON D’ARCY will have caught Ireland coach Declan Kidney’s eye as defending champions Leinster kept the heat on Magners League table-toppers Munster.

LEINSTER defence coach Kurt McQuilkin believes the province is ‘in a good place’ in terms of the race for Magners League and Heineken Cup honours.

ON to April’s Heineken Cupquarter-finals Leinster go, butwith a nervous stumble rather than a confident swagger.

Rookies Cian Healy and Devin Toner and Ireland international Trevor Hogan have been asked to show their worth in the Leinster front five to lock horns with Edinburgh in a do-or-die Heineken Cup match at The RDS on Sunday.