Lock forward Flip van der Merwe and fullback Gio Aplon will return home from the Springboks’ Tri-Nations Series tour on Wednesday.
The Lions romped home with a first-half try fest to secure a thumping 49-11 Currie Cup victory over Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday.
Australia’s victory over SA was built on an improved performance by the forwards but it was the flair of the young backline which caught the eye.
Australia, inspired by Will Genia and Quade Cooper, ran in five tries to open their Tri-Nations campaign with a 39-20 thumping of South Africa.
Defending Currie Cup champions Sharks clinched a 23-22 win over the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday night.
The chastened Wallabies will be searching for their first title in a decade and the Boks have a point to prove in the weekend’s Tri-Nations opener.
The Lions have made three changes to their run-on team to face Griquas in an Absa Currie Cup match in Kimberley on Saturday.
The All Blacks will rest key players for their Test against Fiji, but stressed they will not fall into the same trap as Australia did against Samoa.
The Springboks have included three uncapped players in their team for Saturday’s Tri-Nations opener against the Wallabies.
Inspirational halfbacks Quade Cooper and Will Genia have been restored to Australia’s line-up for Saturday’s Tri-Nations opener against South Africa.
Samoa ran in four tries to stun Australia 32-23 in a famous victory that gave the Wallabies the worst possible start to their World Cup season.
The Cheetahs walked over the Leopards with a thumping 40-12 victory in a Currie Cup clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The untried Western Province combination had to settle for a 26-all draw against Griquas in their Currie Cup match at Newlands on Saturday.
Lions mentor John Mitchell was not impressed with his team’s performance after narrowly beating the Pumas 31-27 in Johannesburg on Friday.
The Boks are expected to leave for the away leg of the Tri-Nations series on Saturday evening, after their plane was forced to return on Friday night.
Sharks forward Jean Deysel has joined the Springbok training squad in Cape Town, ahead of the team announcement
Depleted Super Rugby semifinalists Western Stormers signed Schalk Brits on loan from English club Saracens on Monday.
The Crusaders’ season-long odyssey continued by overwhelming a spirited Sharks side 36-8 in Nelson on Saturday to reach the Super Rugby semi-finals.
John Smit finds himself on the bench again for the Sharks’ Super 15 qualifier against the Crusaders in Nelson on Saturday.
Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh has said he will quit rugby at the end of the season, after playing for the Wallabies at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Sean Fitzpatrick has said the All Blacks are in great shape to win the World Cup on home soil this year, but the Springboks are their biggest threat.
The Stormers secured second place in the Super rugby table, and a home semifinal in the play-offs, when they beat the Cheetahs 44-34.
The New South Wales Waratahs hit their stride to reach the Super rugby play-offs with a convincing 41-7 victory over the ACT Brumbies on Saturday.
Waratahs’ Berrick Barnes says he is taking an indefinite break to deal with concussion-related issues, putting his World Cup plans in doubt.
Saru said Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has called off a national World Cup planning camp due to potential Super Rugby commitments.
Flyhalf Patrick Lambie instigated a second-half comeback as the Sharks snatched a 30-30 draw against the Lions in their clash at Ellis Park.
The halftime break for the 2011 rugby Tri-Nations championship will be extended from 10 minutes to 12 minutes to help teams prepare for the World Cup
Ahead of Saturday’s clash against the Stormers, Bulls captain Victor Matfield says the pressure is on both teams to qualify for the Super Rugby play
Harsh decisions by SA officials may have contributed to their 23-17 loss to the Bulls, yet the Waratahs still left with their pride intact.
The Sharks secured a 23-18 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday to move back into contention for a place in the play-offs.
Lions flanker Michael Rhodes has been suspended for six matches after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle on Highlanders winger Siale Piutau.
The New South Wales Waratahs responded to a lambasting at a fan forum this week with a rampaging five-try first-half performance.