It was difficult not to have a degree of sympathy for the Australians on Saturday night.

South Africa 31 Australia 8

Australia coach Robbie Deans stressed that last night’s 23-19 Rugby Championship win over Argentina was a performance that should not be ’underestimated’.

Luke Fitzgerald has finally signed a deal to keep him at Heineken Cup champions Leinster despite not having his contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union renewed.

Butch James, Jannie du Plessis and Flip van der Merwe are all doubts for South Africa ahead of this week's final Tri Nations encounter against Australia in Bloemfontein.

South Africa captain John Smit accepted there was plenty for his side still to work on after yesterday’s 44-31 Tri Nations victory over Australia in Pretoria.

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.

JAPAN coach Takeshi Okada believes his side have the ability to reach their first-ever World Cup quarter-final at the expense of an impressive Paraguay side.

Fourie du Preez has revealed plans to quit South Africa and head to Japan to further his career following next year’s Rugby World Cup.

Jaque Fourie has won the International Rugby Players’ Association Try of the Year award for 2009 after his effort for South Africa against the Lions in Pretoria.

South African rugby chiefs and several Springbok players have been punished following a controversial protest during this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour.

Wounded captain Paul O’Connell insisted the pride his men have in their jersey will galvanise the British and Irish Lions for one final assault on South Africa.

Stephen Jones urged the British and Irish Lions to produce one final push and end their tour of South Africa on a high with victory over the Springboks in Saturday’s third and final Test.

Coach Peter de Villiers has scoffed at suggestions that he might be a weakness in South Africa’s armoury.

South Africa flanker Schalk Burger has been suspended for eight weeks after being cited for gouging the eyes of British and Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald.

SOUTH AFRICAN rugby bosses have moved to defuse a potentially explosive row over the Springboks’ behaviour during the national anthem before Saturday’s test win over the British and Irish Lions.

SSPRINGBOK captain John Smit warned the British and Irish Lions early last week of the lung-bursting experience at altitude in Loftus Versfeld, but he said nothing of the heart-breaking experience they’d leave it with.

SPRINGBOK coach Peter de Villiers could find himself in hot water this week after he was ordered to answer for his allegations of racism directed towards critics of Ricky Januarie.

IT COULD have been one of the greatest Lions victories of all time, in fact even a draw would have offered something tangible to play for in Johannesburg next Saturday. To lose that opportunity and the series as a whole to a last ditch penalty converted from five metres inside the opposition half makes the second Lions test defeat even more harrowing.

Ian McGeechan has voiced his displeasure over alleged eye-gouging by South Africa flanker Schalk Burger on British and Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald.

Two South African forwards will face disciplinary hearings tomorrow after being cited for alleged foul play following today’s second Test victory over the British and Irish Lions at Loftus Versfeld.

British and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan claimed his team “didn’t deserve” to be 2-0 down after world champions South Africa took Test series glory at Loftus Versfeld.

Springboks 28 Lions 25

The British and Irish Lions made five changes – three of them in a reinforced pack – for the crunch second Test against South Africa at Loftus Versfeld.

THE Lions’ planning for today’s showdown did not begin last Sunday, after the 26-21 first Test defeat in Durban, but two years ago and it took them via the Pittsburgh Steelers to Pretoria.

THE scene is set for the battle of Pretoria between the world champion Springboks and the Lions – with Lions forwards coach Warren Gatland backing the tourists to cope with South Africa’s “bully mentality” in the crunch second Test showdown at Loftus Versfeld 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.

Warren Gatland has backed the British and Irish Lions to cope with South Africa’s “bully mentality” in a crunch second Test showdown at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow.

Brian O’Driscoll has demanded the British and Irish Lions come out all guns blazing against South Africa in tomorrow’s second Test at Loftus Versfeld.

Bryan Habana has warned South Africa should not pitch up at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday thinking the high altitude alone will help them overcome the British and Irish Lions in the second Test.

IT’S A LIONS tour, but not as we know it. Something is missing. That manic fervour and commitment that the All Blacks were subjected to last November in Thomond Park has been strangely absent in the first five games of this tour – and it’s also missing off the field.

THE Lions’ injury jinx will follow them into their South Africa tour opener against a Royal XV today.

The British and Irish Lions’ injury jinx will follow them into their South Africa tour opener against a Royal XV tomorrow.

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.

South Africa 53 Australia 8

South Africa 37 Wales 21

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has named 12 uncapped players in his first squad since taking charge of the Springboks earlier this year.

Injury-hit Wales will face world champions South Africa and one of the most powerful back rows in Test rugby without a specialist open-side flanker.

TWO second-half tries enabled the NSW Waratahs to overcome a half-time deficit and defeat the Brumbies at the Sydney Football Stadium yesterday.

MATT Stevens has met Nelson Mandela and performed on tv’s X Factor since he last played rugby for England.

IRELAND A coach Michael Bradley has warned England A they must be ruthless if they are to have any hope of toppling the New Zealand Maori in Saturday’s Churchill Cup final.

England’s troubled tour of South Africa is in danger of descending into complete disarray after four players were ruled out of Saturday’s second Test against South Africa at Loftus Versfeld.

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