World champions South Africa beat off-colour Six Nations winners Wales 43-17 in the first Test in Bloemfontein on Saturday to hand Springboks coach Peter de Villiers a winning start.

New Zealand flyhalf Daniel Carter overcame an erratic performance to guide the All Blacks to a 21-11 victory over Ireland at a rain-soaked Railyards Stadium on Saturday.

The Springboks kick off the beginning of a new era on Saturday by hosting Wales in a Test match at Bloemfontein's Vodacom Park.

World champions South Africa suffered a major setback ahead of the first of two Tests against Wales on Saturday.

Springbok great Andre Venter will present the jerseys to the Springbok match 22 for Saturday's Test against Wales at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein.

The All Blacks and Ireland have been forced to hastily rejig their battle plans 48 hours before Saturday's one-off rugby Test.

Butch James is back in the Springbok green and gold and relishing the chance to add a second chapter to a glorious 2007.

The citings and subsequent bans of both Schalk Burger and England captain Phil Vickery have raised a worrying trend at the Rugby World Cup in France.

South African rugby this week found itself once again dancing to the strains of a political orchestra