ASIAN champions Japan struck a blow for the World Cup also-rans when they staggered a rusty-looking Scotland side in a Pool B match in the tropical heat of Townsville yesterday.

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.

Rudolf Straueli’s Springboks have been accused of damaging their World Cup prospects by adopting an overly physical approach to their final warm-up match.

A white South African rugby star has been sacked from the World Cup training squad after allegedly refusing to share a room with a black team-mate, it was reported today.

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.