Australia coach Robbie Deans believes Rocky Elsom is developing into a highly effective Wallaby captain.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made four changes to Australia’s starting side to play Saturday’s historic Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Japan

Former Australia captain Stirling Mortlock has been ruled out of the first two internationals of his team's spring tour but is targeting next month's clash with Ireland for a return.

Robbie Deans has dismissed suggestions former captain Stirling Mortlock was kept in the dark over the decision to replace him with Rocky Elsom for the upcoming Grand Slam tour of the British Isles, insisting the 32-year-old knew exactly where he stood.

Rocky Elsom is not daunted by the extra responsibilities that come with his new role as Australia captain, admitting it took him a matter of seconds to accept coach Robbie Deans’ offer.

Australia have named former Leinster star Rocky Elsom as the team captain for their upcoming tour of Japan, the UK and Ireland.

Australia 25 South Africa 32

AUSTRALIA have finalised preparations for today’s Tri-Nations clash with South Africa at Subiaco Oval in Perth and remain confident of a victory to remain alive in the competition.

Australia captain Stirling Mortlock's Tri-Nations campaign remains in serious doubt with the veteran set to undergo scans on his injured left knee tomorrow morning to determine his immediate playing future.

PETER DE VILLIERS is expecting a tougher challenge when his South Africa side come up against Australia in the Tri-Nations this week.

LEINSTER’s Rocky Elsom admits he is ‘likely’ to sign for the ACT Brumbies after rejecting offers from the Queensland Reds due to a ‘difference of opinion over the direction of the club.’

WALLABIES players agreed to take pay cuts yesterday but only after assurances that boss John O’Neill and Australian Rugby Union (ARU) brass had their pay packets and travel perks slashed.

RIKI FLUTEY has faced three of the best centres in world rugby over the past two months for England but has his sights set on gunning down another in Brian O’Driscoll.

MONDAY’S draw for the 2011 Rugby World Cup may have been met with delight in Australia but Jamie Heaslip is adamant that Ireland will have something to say about the Wallabies’ tournament hopes when they meet in Pool C.

Wales 21 Australia 18

England 14 Australia 28

Danny Cipriani has been told it is vital he “fronts up” in defence against Australia this weekend if he is to develop into a world-class fly-half.

Australia coach Robbie Deans tonight insisted Twickenham “holds no baggage” for the Wallabies despite their poor recent record at the ground.

New Zealand 19 Australia 14

AUSTRALIA and New Zealand yesterday squabbled over their line-ups for this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup match with the All Blacks claiming star player Dan Carter was being deliberately targeted.

Leinster's Rocky Elsom has been named the 2007/08 Australian Supporters Player of the Year.

Teenager James O’Connor is set to become the second-youngest player ever to pull on an Australia jersey after being named in the squad to tour Europe later this year.

South Africa 53 Australia 8

New Zealand stopped the rot and got their Tri-Nations campaign back on track with an emphatic victory against Australia today.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has backed former rugby league star Ryan Cross to fill the boots of skipper Stirling Mortlock in Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup clash with New Zealand.

Australia kick-started their Tri-Nations campaign with victory over South Africa at Subiaco Oval.

Paul O’Connell was left to rue Ireland’s error count as they ended their southern hemisphere tour with an 18-12 defeat to Australia.

WHAT A tumultuous 12 months for Irish rugby: the provinces excelling and the national team winning just seven matches from 14.

Luke Burgess and Peter Hynes will make their Australia Test debuts against Ireland in Melbourne on Saturday after Robbie Deans announced his first team selection as coach.

ROBBIE DEANS has named seven uncapped players in his first Australia squad for the Test against Ireland on June 14.

Robbie Deans has named seven uncapped players in his first Australia squad for the Test against Ireland on June 14.

England’s World Cup tactics have been defended by Australia captain Stirling Mortlock.

A war of words has erupted in Australia as the recriminations over their World Cup exit begin in earnest.

Jonny Wilkinson described England’s heroic World Cup quarter-final win over Australia as “one of the best days of my life” but expressed sympathy for kicking counterpart Stirling Mortlock.

AUSTRALIAN rugby union faces a complete overhaul after the nation’s shock World Cup quarter-final defeat to England. The overwhelming favourites lost 12-10 in Marseille as Brian Ashton’s side booked a meeting with France.

England 12 Australia 10

WALLABY fly-half Berrick Barnes was a wide-eyed schoolboy when Jonny Wilkinson broke Wallaby hearts with the extra-time drop goal to win England the 2003 World Cup.

AUSTRALIA expect England to hit them with “rough” tactics in tomorrow’s World Cup quarter-final showdown in Marseille.

AUSTRALIA centre Matt Giteau believes World Cup quarter-final opponents England are a far more dangerous team now Jonny Wilkinson is back in the team.

Wales captain Gareth Thomas will win his 100th cap in Saturday’s World Cup eliminator against Fiji after making a rapid return from injury.

Australia captain Stirling Mortlock says his players are desperate to avenge their extra-time loss to England in the 2003 World Cup final.

NEW ZEALAND have recalled their big stars for Sunday’s World Cup Pool C clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Wales expect captain Gareth Thomas to be fit for the World Cup quarter-finals after a scan indicated his rib cartilage injury is not as bad as first feared.

Wales captain Gareth Jenkins fears he could have played for Wales for the last time after admitting his rib injury could rule him out of the remainder of the World Cup.