Heart Surgery for Strauss

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Former Springbok hooker Richardt Strauss will miss the rest of this season after being diagnosed with a heart condition that requires surgery.

A statement from Leinster said that the South African-born hooker, 27, would undergo an operation this week.

"The management are confident that he will make a full recovery and will provide him with the best care in his recovery," added the statement.

Strauss has played 79 times for Leinster and earned four Ireland caps.

The hooker's heart condition was discovered following a series of recent tests.

Strauss has not featured for Leinster since playing 70 minutes of the Pro12 defeat by Glasgow on 20 September.

His absence for the remainder of this season is a blow both to the Dublin-based provincial side and Ireland.

Strauss has established himself as Leinster hooker ahead of fellow international Sean Cronin over the past three years and has also been a strong back-up to Ireland's regular number two Rory Best.

And with his former Leinster coach Joe Schmidt now in charge of Ireland, Strauss may have felt that he had a chance of dislodging Best from the Ireland jersey this season.

In the immediate term, Strauss will miss Leinster's opening Heineken Cup games as well as Ireland's autumn Tests against Samoa, Australia and New Zealand.

The Pretoria-born player made 36 appearances for Super 14 club the Cheetahs before signing for Leinster in 2009.

He helped Leinster clinch successive Heineken Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2012 and earned his first Ireland cap against his native South Africa 11 months ago.

Strauss scored his first international try in the win over Argentina two weeks later but he missed out on Ireland's 2013 Six Nations campaign because of injury.

His fourth and most recent cap came against the United States in Houston in June.

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Weepu in All Blacks Recall

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Veteran scrum-half Piri Weepu has been recalled to New Zealand's squad for their final two Rugby Championship Tests in Argentina and South Africa.

Captain Richie McCaw is also included after suffering a knee ligament problem, but is unlikely to be risked for the Pumas clash on 28 September.

Weepu, 30, has not played for the All Blacks since being dropped following the third Test against France in June.

New Zealand lead the Rugby Championship after winning their first four games.

Weepu returns to the touring squad as a replacement for TJ Perenara, who has a stress fracture in his left leg and will be out for six weeks.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said: "We have selected Piri as a replacement for two reasons.

"One, given the environments we are going into, it would be unfair to bring in a novice half-back, and secondly, we have also seen advances in his game in the areas we asked him to improve in."

Flanker McCaw looked set to miss the rest of the championship after picking up a knee injury in the All Blacks' 28-13 win over Argentina in Hamilton.

Hansen added: "With Richie, we believe that the best chance of having him available to play against South Africa [in Johannesburg on 5 October] is by having him travel with the squad and getting hands-on treatment from the All Blacks medical staff."

Tom Taylor, who made his All Blacks debut against Australia in Wellington last month, has been included in place of Dan Carter, who has a shoulder injury.

Cooper Returns to McKenzie's Gold

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Quade Cooper returns to the Wallabies starting side at fly-half on his home turf against the Springboks at Lang Park on Saturday.

Israel Folau has been switched to full-back replacing Jesse Mogg who drops back to the bench.

Cooper replaces Brumbies rookie Matt Toomua after starting on the bench in the past two Test losses against the All Blacks.

It will be the first time Cooper has worn the number 10 jersey since the Wallabies defeated South Africa and Argentina in back-to-back Tests last September.

Coach Ewen McKenzie said he is anticipating the match against the Springboks will suit Cooper's game.

"Quade has been contributing well for us playing off the bench," McKenzie told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday.

"Looking at how I want to play this this game, he's ideally suited to start this game."

Cooper said his return to the starting side has shown that hard work pays off.

"You just have to continue to work hard," Cooper said.

"I've been in and around the team for a few weeks coming off the bench. Now that I've been given a role as starting number 10 it's very exciting but Matty [Toomua) and Foles [Bernard Foley] will continue to push each other for the position.'

"If you miss out you just have to continue to help out and push each other

McKenzie said he expects the Springboks' dominant kicking game to play into the hands of Folau who is proving one of the most dangerous ball runners in rugby.

"With a player of his running ability the more times he touches the ball the better it is," McKenzie said.

"We think they'll kick a lot. So if they kick, he gets his hands on the ball and that is good.

"Maybe they won't kick as much, we'll see."

Folau has played his first five Tests for the Wallabies on the wing and isn't fazed by moving into the number 15 jersey where he played most of the Super Rugby season for the Waratahs.

"I think it will be easier to slot into the line at full-back but I don't see too much of a different role.

"I have a lot of good players around me who can help me."

In other changes Nick Cummins of the Western Force has been selected on the wing for his sixth Test for the Wallabies.

Sekope Kepu moves into the starting side at prop after starting the past five Tests on the bench.

Queensland's Jake Schatz has the opportunity to make his Wallabies debut after being selected on the bench.

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England v South Africa - Preview

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England coach Stuart Lancaster believes winning the battle at the breakdown will be key to his side's hopes against South Africa on Saturday.

England came unstuck against Australia last time out, with South Africa to pose a more physical challenge at Twickenham.

And Lancaster, who has beefed up his pack with Joe Launchbury, Ben Morgan, Tom Wood and Alex Corbisiero and added Ben Youngs and Mike Brown to the backs, said: "We need all our pack to make sure that we are on top of their game to win the breakdown battle, the physical battle, the set piece battle which will be a necessity to win the game.

"If you don't match South Africa physically you aren't going to win. You have to win the gainline battle."

South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer believes Bath flanker Francois Louw can terrorise England once again.

Louw has been in impressive form for the Springboks since re-establish himself in the side - and he was man-of-the-match in the 21-10 win over Scotland last time out.

"Louw has been awesome," said Meyer, who has named an unchanged starting XV. "He is the type of openside I like - superb on the ground, he is also a great ball carrier and he also has stopping power in defence.

"He is the whole package and he has been awesome for us."

England: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Mike Brown, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Alex Corbisiero, 2 Tom Youngs, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Geoff Parling, 6 Tom Wood, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 8 Ben Morgan. 

Replacements: 16 David Paice, 17 David Wilson, 18 Mako Vunipola, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 James Haskell, 21 Danny Care, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Jonathan Joseph.

South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 3 Jannie du Pless, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Juandre Kruger, 6 Francois Louw, 7 Willem Alberts, 8 Duane Vermeulen. 

Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.

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Scotland v South Africa - Preview

The Springboks will assume the role of favourites at Murrayfield, but recent history advises them against placing heavy significance on that tag.

Two years ago the then world champions arrived in Edinburgh strongly fancied to pile more misery on a Scotland team that had succumbed to an emphatic 49-3 defeat by the All Blacks seven days earlier.

But pre-match predictions counted for little as the home team produced one of their best results under Andy Robinson, beating the Springboks 21-17.

The circumstances going into the latest encounter bear more than a heavy echo of the events of 2010.

Once more Scotland approach the match just a week after another bruising loss against the All Blacks.

Once more they are a team in need of a backlash.

In 2010 the boot of Dan Parks provided redemption against South Africa. With Parks retired, Scotland must look elsewhere for a match-winner. And glistening amid the debris of last week's defeat to the All Blacks was a performance which suggested they have that very player within their ranks.

Two tries from Dutchman Tim Visser underlined the potency he has added to Scotland's backline. Throughout this year's Six Nations, Scotland's failure to convert possession and territory into tries was a persistent theme. Visser's emergence has silenced those worries.

Robinson now has a bona-fide finisher at his disposal. The Edinburgh wing is already being tipped to become his adopted country's all-time leading try-scorer, beating the record of 24 jointly held by Ian Smith and Tony Stanger.

But while Scotland proved themselves as an attacking force against New Zealand, their defence frayed and fractured in alarming fashion. Missed tackles and assorted mistakes undermined them. A focus on defensive discipline will have been paramount in training this week.

Nevertheless, few sides would judge themselves too harshly in the wake of defeat by the world champions. A team's progress cannot be accurately judged against a mauling by Carter and Co. New Zealand exist on an entirely different rugby planet to all other nations.

Back in the normal world Scotland will have noted the heavy weather South Africa made of beating Ireland last week. Try-scorer Ruan Pienaar described his side's first half performance in Dublin as 'terrible.' The Springboks improved after the break, but rarely raised their game above the doggedly efficient. Inspiration was in short supply throughout.

They too hope for a better display. But Bryan Habana's absence from the tour denies them a lethal weapon at a time when Scotland have found one of their own.

Andy Robinson's men will take heart from such details and the fact that South Africa are no New Zealand. Victory would also lift them into the top eight ranked teams in the world - a position crucial to a favourable World Cup draw. The experience of two years ago tells them such a result is well within their compass, regardless of the bookies' odds.

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Ireland v South Africa - Preview

New captain Jamie Heaslip says Ireland are expecting a bruising contest with South Africa in Saturday's Test clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Heaslip will lead an injury-hit Ireland side as they aim to avenge the 2010 defeat by the Springboks in Dublin.

"South Africa are a confrontational side and they don't make any bones about that," said Heaslip.

"They try to run over you or through you with their forward pack and provide nice ball for their backs."

Heaslip added: "They got one over us last time and we don't like losing in our back garden.

"It will be a full house on Saturday and the place will be rocking. We want to give the Irish people something to cheer about."

Heaslip says he was "humbled" to be asked to lead the Irish by coach Declan Kidney after Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell and Rory Best were all ruled out by injury.

"I was in Baggott Street (in Dublin) getting my mate an engagement card when I got the heads up from Declan about it," Heaslip said.

"I was in Tesco and I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt like going out and celebrating. It felt like my first cap again.

"It's great. I rang my parents straight away. I'm proud to lead this group."

Despite the absence of so many experienced players, Heaslip insists that the Irish won't lack leadership in Saturday's contest.

"Once we get onto the pitch everyone will be on automatic pilot because we have such great leaders within the team.

"It's talking after the dinner that's got me more nervous than anything else."

Hooker Richardt Strauss, born in South Africa but eligible for Ireland on residency grounds, makes his Test debut while full-back Simon Zebo makes his first start.

Uncapped forwards David Kilcoyne, Michael Bent and Iain Henderson are included on the bench.

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All Blacks Finish Off Boks

New Zealand finished off their victorious inaugural Rugby Championship campaign in style as their backs inspired a 32-16 win in South Africa.

Winger Bryan Habana got the hosts off to the perfect start, but visiting lock Sam Whitelock finished a sweeping move.

A converted Aaron Smith try saw his side take the lead, which Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith added to after the break.

The victory means the All Blacks have now extended their winning streak since last year's World Cup to 16 matches.

South Africa had no answer to the incision provided by winger Hosea Gear and full-back Israel Dagg as their defensive line was repeatedly breached on the counter-attack.

Not even a late yellow card for Dagg could help the Springboks back into the match at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg as the All Blacks - who claimed the Rugby Championship title last weekend against Argentina - moved to within two games of the world record for continuous Test victories set by Lithuania in 2010.

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