All Blacks go with experience in Tri-Nations decider

Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Piri Weepu will all start for New Zealand against Australia in Saturday's Tr-Nations decider in Brisbane.

The experience continues throughout the team as they have a front row combination of Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu and Owen Franks, who have amassed 183 caps between them.

Brad Thorn and Sam Whitelock combine to form an intimidating tight five, Adam Thomson retains his spot at number six while captain McCaw returns to the side after missing the trip to South Africa.

He is joined by Kieran Read, who also missed the trip to the republic.

Weepu has been elevated into the starting halfback's role after impressing from the bench in the Tri Nations. The 47-Test number nine will play a key role in combining with star playmaker Carter, who will look to steer the ship in his 82nd match for the All Blacks

New Zealand v South Africa: Live and Teams

Saturday July 30, kick-off 8.35am (BST), live on Sky Sports 2. The Springboks look to have their work cut out this weekend as they prepare to field a severely weakened side against a near full-strength All Blacks.

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Adam Thomson, 7 Richie McCaw (capt), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements:16 Corey Flynn, 17 John Afoa, 18 Jarrad Hoeata, 19 Liam Messam, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Colin Slade, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

South Africa: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Adi Jacobs, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Danie Rossouw, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Gerhard Mostert, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 John Smit (capt), 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Ryan Kankowski, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Wynand Olivier, 22 Odwa Ndungane.

Australie Afrique du Sud en direct live Tri Nations 2011

L'Australie affronte samedi 23 juillet l'Afrique du Sud à l'occasion de la 1er journée du Tri Nations, match Australie Afrique du Sud en direct live sur Canal + à 11h00. 

Chaque équipe disputera seulement 4 matchs au lieu de 6, ce qui oblige à prendre un bon départ dans ces Tri-Nations 2011.L'Australie peut profiter la proximité de la Coupe du Monde pour enfin s'imposer. Défaits en amical contre les Samoa (23-32), Robbie Deans a décidé de rappeler tous ses cadres pour les Tri Nations.De son part l'Afrique du Sud risque de se trouver en dificulté, puisque Peter de Villiers n'a pas sélectionné son équipe type pour disputer cette Tri Nations.

Le XV de départ d'Australie :

James Beale - James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane - (o) Quade Cooper, (m) Will Genia - David Pocock, Ben McCalman, Rocky Elsom (cap) - James Horwill, Rob Simmons - Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu.

Remplaçants : Anthony Faingaa, Pek Cowan, Nathan Sharpe, Matt Hodgson, Scott Higginbotham, Nick Phipps, Saia Faingaa.

Le XV de départ  d'Afrique du Sud :

Gio Aplon - Bjorn Basson, Juan de Jongh, Wynand Olivier, Lwazi Mvovo - (o) Morné Steyn, (m) Ruan Pienaar - Danie Rossouw, Ashley Johnson, Deon Stegmann - Johan Muller, Heinke van der Merwe - Werner Kruger, John Smit (cap), Dean Greyling.

Remplaçants : Chiliboy Ralepelle, CJ van der Linde, Alistair Hargreaves, Deysel, Charl McLeod, Adrian Jacobs, Patrick Lambie.

All Blacks : list of 30 Players for Tri Nation

Graham Henry, coach of the All Blacks, has provided a list of 30 Players prepare and compete for the Tri-Nations 2011 from the end of July.

Graham Henry  coach of Australia

All Blake : list of 30 Players

• John Afoa (Auckland), Corey Flynn (Canterbury), Ben Franks (Tasman), Owen Franks (Canterbury), Jarrad Hoeata (Taranaki), Andrew Hore (Taranaki), Jerome Kaino (Auckland), Richie McCaw (capitaine, Canterbury), Keven Mealamu (Auckland), Liam Messam (Waikato), Kieran Read (Canterbury), Adam Thomson (Otago), Brad Thorn (Canterbury), Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury), Ali Williams (Auckland), Tony Woodcock (North Harbour).
• Daniel Carter (Canterbury), Jimmy Cowan (Southland), Israel Dagg (Hawke’s Bay), Andy Ellis (Canterbury), Hosea Gear (Wellington), Zac Guildford (Hawke’s Bay), Richard Kahui (Waikato), Mils Muliaina (Waikato), Ma’a Nonu (Wellington), Colin Slade (Canterbury), Conrad Smith (Wellington), Isaia Toeava (Auckland), Piri Weepu (Wellington), Sonny Bill Williams (Canterbury).

Calendrier Tri Nations 2011

Le calendrier du Tri Nations 2011.

Calendrier Tri Nations 2011

Pour raison de coupe du monde, les équipes ne s’affronteront que deux fois chacune. La compétition se terminera seulement deux semaines avant le début de la coupe du monde.

Tri Nation 2011 : le programme de la compétition
Samedi 23 Juillet 2011 : Australie – Afrique du sud
Samedi 30 Juillet 2011 : Nouvelle-Zélande – Afrique du sud
Samedi 6 Août 2011 : Nouvelle-Zélande – Australie
Samedi 13 Août 2011 : Afrique du sud – Australie
Samedi 20 Août 2011 : Afrique du sud – Nouvelle-Zélande
Samedi 27 Août 2011 : Australie – Nouvelle-Zélande


6pm 23rd July: Australia  v South Africa
3:30pm 30th July: New Zealand v South Africa
3:30pm 6th Aug: New Zealand v Australia
11pm 13th Aug:  South Africa v Australia
11pm 20th Aug: South Africa v New Zealand
6pm 27th Aug: Australia v New Zealand

South Africa name “poor” team for Tri Nations 2011 games:

Tri Nations 2011: South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has named a poor 27-man squad for the away leg of their Tri Nations campaign with a host of key players missing through injury.

The Springboks had earlier this week released a list of 21 players unavailable for selection for the Tri Nations 2011 games against Australia and New Zealand on July 23 and July 30.

Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill has already called for there to be an investigation into the announcement, fearing that South Africa are saving their best players for their World Cup defense later this year.

The Springboks play Australia in Sydney on July 23 and title-holders New Zealand in Wellington a week later but the world champions look set to field weakened sides for both clashes due to the mass player withdrawals.

Tri Nations 2011, history of the competition:

The Tri Nations 2011 is an annual international rugby union series held between Australia's Wallabies, New Zealand's All Blacks and South Africa's Springboks.

The New Zealand All Blacks were the winners of the Tri Nations tournament in 2008, and now 2010. South Africa won in 2009.

The Tri Nations 2011 competition is organized by SANZAR, a consortium formed by the rugby governing bodies of Australia's ARU, New Zealand's NZRFU and South Africa's SARFU.

The first tournament was contested in 1996 and was won by the All Blacks. Since the inception of the Tri Nations series, the games played between Australia and New Zealand also determine the winner of the Bledisloe Cup each year.

The Tri Nations rugby tournament opens after the completion of the Super 14 competition for the year because players from the SANZAR countries are involved in both. The Tri Nations tournament for 2010 began on 17 July and finishes on 11 September when Australia plays New Zealand in Sydney.

The winners of the Tri Nations championship in 2009 were South Africa. New Zealand has won the tournament for 2010. In 2012, the tournament will be expanded to include Argentina. But before, let's enjoy the Tri Nations 2011.

Tri Nations 2011, tournament rules:

The winner of the Tri Nations is determined by a points system:

• 4 points for a win
• 2 points for a draw
• 0 points for a loss

Bonus points" may also be earned in any given match and count toward deciding the series winner. A team may earn one bonus point in each of the following ways (to a total of two points):

• By scoring four or more tries in the match, regardless of the final result of the match.
• By losing by seven points (a converted try) or fewer.

A victorious team can collect either 4 or 5 points, depending on whether or not it scored 4 tries. A losing team may collect from 0 to 2 points.

At the end of the series the team with the most points is declared the winner. If teams end level on points the first tiebreaker is point differential, followed by number of tries during the series. However, the Tri Nations has yet to finish in a tie for the top spot.

Tri Nations 2011 Rugby Union Fixtures:

The 2011 Tri Nations tournament is approaching fast and the fixtures have been released ahead of the tournament and the first match will see Australia taking on South Africa in Sydney on the 23rd July. The defending Champions New Zealand enter the tournament a week later when they take on the Springboks on home soil in Wellington.

The Tri Nations fixtures for 2011 are condensed with the World Cup on the horizon, with this in mind the three teams will only play each other twice rather than the traditional three times to avoid burnout.

2011 Tri Nations fixtures Dates - Kick Off time To Be Confirmed

Saturday, July 23: Australia v South Africa - Sydney
Saturday, July 30: New Zealand v South Africa - Wellington
Saturday, August 6: New Zealand v Australia - Auckland
Saturday, August 13: South Africa v Australia - Durban (TBC)
Saturday, August 20: South Africa v New Zealand - Port Elizabeth (TBC)