Blue Bulls fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen was the surprise call-up to the Springbok Rugby World Cup squad on Thursday following the withdrawal through injury of Jean de Villiers. Van der Westhuyzen was not considered a viable option, with pundits preferring to plug for players such as Deon Kayser and Brent Russell.

In a cruel twist of fate, Western Province centre Jean de Villiers, handed a World Cup lifeline only five days ago, could be out of the global showpiece event after injuring his shoulder in the Springboks final warm-up match against the Falcons on Tuesday evening.

The Springboks showed they could yet cause an upset or two at this year’s Rugby World Cup after putting in an impressive performance to defeat the Falcons 74-0 at the Pam Brink Stadium in Springs on Tuesday evening. The Boks ran in 14 wonderful tries, at times showing silky handling skills.

Rudolf Straeuli’s beleaguered Springboks will be hoping for an emphatic display in their final match before departing for the Rugby World Cup in Australia when they take on the Falcons at the Pam Brink Stadium in Springs on Tuesday evening. Such a win would be a massive boost ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli was surprisingly upbeat on Monday despite his team losing both away Vodacom Tri-Nations matches against Australia and New Zealand on consecutive weekends.

Despite coaching his side to its heaviest defeat ever on home soil at Loftus on Saturday, Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli insisted that it was not time to panic.

The Springboks — sparked by another sublime display from super-sub Brent Russell — turned in a powerful performance to pull off a shock 26- 22 win over Australia in a hard-fought Vodacom Tri-Nations rugby match at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

Sharks hooker Lukas van Biljon faces an SA Rugby inquiry into his involvement in a brawl at an Empangeni night club in the early hours of Friday morning.

Fiery Springbok hooker James Dalton announced his retirement from all rugby at an emotion-charged press conference in Randburg, Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Rugby World Cup-winning captain Francois Pienaar believes that Rudolph Straeuli’s Springboks can win the World Cup later this year in Australia.