
Match Schedule:
Date:Tuesday December 12, 2011
Time:From 20:00 GMT
Competition:EPL Barclays Premier League Soccer Live/Repeat: Live
It is rare that a reigning champion can go into a title defence under very little pressure to perform but that is the rather strange position that the Springboks find themselves in ahead of their World Cup opener against Wales, on Sunday.
South Africa deservedly lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in France four years ago but their triumph is still sneered at by some simply because emerged triumphant without having had to go through either New Zealand or Australia during their campaign, with their southern hemisphere rivals having suffered shock defeats in the last eight.
Ominously for the Irish, their warm-up schedule has been just as underwhelming as it was in 2007. In fact, that is sugar-coating it - things have been much worse this time around. Whereas a clearly undercooked Ireland actually managed to eek out a win over Italy in Belfast just before they left for Bordeaux, they have arrived in New Zealand on the back of four successive defeats, a calamitous run which has seen them drop to eighth in the IRB World Rankings.
However, head coach Declan Kidney believes that he was right to insist on a rigorous pre-tournament fixture list - and two clashes with France sandwiched in between meetings with Scotland and England most certainly was that - and we will find out if he was right at full-time on Sunday.Ireland v United States of America Rugby world cup 2011 live streaming online TV
Following their win over World Cup favourites New Zealand, all eyes will be on Australia to see if they can gate crash the Kiwis' party.
And with Nick Mallett's Italy side lying in wait, Robbie Deans' forwards will have to be on their game against a formidable Azzurri pack. Deans has opted for continuity over change, naming the same side which despatched the Kiwis so ably in the Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane. Australia have fared well in the previous World Cups having taken the honours in 1991 and 1999 but they fell from the 2007 tournament at the quarter-finals stages to England.
England kicked off their Rugby World Cup campaign with a battling 13-9 victory over Argentina at the Otago Stadium in Dunedin.
A second half try from replacement scrum-half Ben Youngs proved the crucial score in a bruising contest with the Pumas left to rue an incredible six missed penalties and a wayward drop goal. England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson also suffered a rare off-day with the boot - missing five penalties - but was crucially on target with two and a conversion to steer his side to a priceless victory.
A dominant Pumas pack had dictated the terms of the contest in the opening period but a penalty apiece for fly-half Felipe Contepomi and fullback Martin Rodriguez were their only reward with the latter adding just one more after the break as England muscled their way back into the game.
Date: Sat 10, 2011France survived a major scare to record a flattering 47-21 victory over Japan in their Rugby World Cup Pool A clash at North Harbour Stadium.
It had all been going according to plan for Marc Lievremont's side at the break as tries from Julien Pierre, Francois Trinh-Duc and Vincent Clerc opened up a 25-11 advantage. But Japan, for whom James Arlidge had registered a try and two penalties, launched a stunning fightback as the former Newport Gwent Dragons man knocked over another penalty and cut through for his second five-pointer to put the Cherry Blossoms within four points.
France survived a major scare to record a flattering 47-21 victory over Japan in their Rugby World Cup Pool A clash at North Harbour Stadium.
It had all been going according to plan for Marc Lievremont's side at the break as tries from Julien Pierre, Francois Trinh-Duc and Vincent Clerc opened up a 25-11 advantage. But Japan, for whom James Arlidge had registered a try and two penalties, launched a stunning fightback as the former Newport Gwent Dragons man knocked over another penalty and cut through for his second five-pointer to put the Cherry Blossoms within four points.