Australia 39 South Africa 20

South Africa will mull over making changes to their backline to face Wales on Saturday after Francois Steyn joined up with the Springbok squad yesterday.

PERHAPS we are getting a little carried away. Seven days ago Australia and New Zealand showed the way forward for rugby with an exhilarating display of expansive rugby that had fans and pundits alike drooling.

SOUTH AFRICA captain Victor Matfield will take comfort in familiarity if not experience when he leads the world champions out to take on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow (5.30pm).

Victor Matfield admits the recent spate of injuries that has struck South Africa is far from ideal, but is adamant the squad has enough depth to overcome Ireland.

IT IS somewhat unfortunate that the ongoing saga about the IRFU ticketing policy has overshadowed the return of international rugby to its traditional home in Lansdowne Road.

South Africa were dealt a major blow today after experienced flanker Schalk Burger and rookie centre Juan de Jongh were both ruled out of the Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland that starts this week.

SOUTH AFRICA have been hit with further worries as they prepare to head to Dublin for this Saturday’s Test with Ireland.

Blue Bulls centre Wynand Olivier has been ruled out of South Africa’s year-end grand slam tour due to a groin injury.

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.

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 coach Peter de Villiers says Frans Steyn’s kicking ability was the decisive factor in his selection for the Tri Nations encounter against Australia on Saturday.

GRAHAM HENRY expects his New Zealand side to face a much-changed South Africa one when the two countries meet in the Tri-Nations on Saturday.

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.

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.

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.

Rob Kearney has warned South Africa that Ireland are ready to match them in the physicality stakes at Croke Park tomorrow.

BIGGER THAN the Lions, and bigger than the Tri-Nations decider. That’s how the visiting World Cup champion Springboks are looking at tomorrow’s clash with Ireland in Croke Park, according to assistant coach Gary Gold, who said yesterday that he “had not encountered anything as big as the build-up to Saturday . . . the pressure and expectations are bigger than they were before the first Lions Test in Durban or that final Tri-Nations clash in Hamilton.”

South Africa have made six changes for Saturday’s test at Croke Park against Ireland.

SOUTH AFRICA captain John Smit may return to the middle of the front row for his side’s visit to Dublin to take on Ireland next weekend.

Italy 10 South Africa 32

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has made four changes from the team beaten by France last weekend for Saturday’s clash with Italy in Udine.

BRYAN HABANA could miss South Africa’s showdown with Ireland on November 28 after being cited for allegedly kicking an opponent during the Springboks’ 20-13 test defeat to France in Toulouse.

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers today named an unchanged team for Saturday’s Tri-Nations clash with Australia in Cape Town – a decision he described as “easy”.

MUNSTER management today face an anxious wait for an update on the condition of their new star signing Jean de Villiers, after he limped out of South Africa’s 28-19 Tri-Nations win over New Zealand on Saturday.

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.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers claims maintaining consistency was a key part of the decision to continue with the same group of players that overcame the British and Irish Lions for their opening Tri-Nations fixture against New Zealand in Bloemfontein on July 25.

ONE last stand. After ten months of high octane rugby encompassing Magners League, Guinness Premiership, Heineken Cup, Challenge Cup, Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations those who have survived to this point with willing hearts and minds must summon their reserves of pride and energy for one last effort.

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.

The inclusion of uncapped Morne Steyn in the South Africa squad to face the British and Irish Lions in the three-match Test series starting later this month has been welcomed by vice-captain Victor Matfield.

PETER DE VILLIERS yesterday named two uncapped players in the South Africa squad to face the Lions in a three-match Test series to be played in late June and early July.

Peter de Villiers today named two uncapped players in the South Africa squad to face the British and Irish Lions in a three-match Test series to be played in late June and early July.

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)

WYNAND OLIVIER has been named in the Bulls starting line-up for the Super 14 final against the Chiefs on Saturday, despite having yet to recover from a hip injury that kept him out of the semi-final last week.

Springboks coach Jake White believes his squad can put the Schalk Burger saga to one side and maintain their concentration for Friday night’s crucial clash against England.

South Africa have made three changes to their side to face England in the second test at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

LEINSTER fly-half Felipe Contepomi will captain Argentina in the first test against Ireland in Santa Fe on Saturday.

Winger Ashwin Willemse could play his first Test in two years for South Africa after coach Jake White named him in the side to face England on Saturday.

BELEAGUERED Springbok coach Jake White faces the biggest crisis of his career after the most powerful regional province in South African rugby passed a motion of no confidence in him and called on him to resign.

South Africa coach Jake White has made six changes to the Springboks side that lost 32-15 in Ireland for Saturday’s Test against England.

FORMER New Zealand winger Stu Wilson has hailed the performances of the Australia backline ahead of the Bledisloe Cup triple header, claiming the Wallabies are favourites.