South African rugby always needs to win but sometimes it needs a victory more urgently than others and today against Australia at Ellis Park is one of those days.

Last week's slow-motion pitch incursion in Durban by the irate, roly-poly Pieter van Zyl not only left the referee David McHugh with a dislocated shoulder but revived the ugly stereotype of boorish Springbok fans.

Van Zyl was at once banned for life from all South African rugby grounds, although he intends to contest the extent of his ban legally. Still, the authorities have taken the precaution of employing a group of under-19 players to pull down any would-be copycats.

The effect of the incident has been to add anticipation to a match that hardly needed it. Relations between the sides are at their lowest ebb for many seasons and the All Blacks coach John Mitchell gave the pot a stir when he said before leaving South Africa a week ago that "the Wallabies don't respect the Springboks".

Theoretically Australia need to win the match by 26 points - scoring four tries - to pip New Zealand for a third successive Tri-Nations title outright. Practically, that seems unlikely at a ground ranked by the Wallaby coach Eddie Jones as one of the three most intimidating in the world along-side Marseille in France and Dunedin in New Zealand.

Argentina have presented a proposal to join South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in an extended Tri-Nations tournament and also become involved in the Super 12 series.

Bath have appointed Danny Grewcock, and Lions lock, as captain for the new season.