Photo Gallery - Durban painted gold

Australia broke their eight-year South African hoodoo with a fired-up Wallabies side stunning the Springboks in Durban to set up a battle with the All Blacks for the Tri-Nations title. The Wallabies won 27-15 for their first win on South African soil since 2000.

Calm before the storm: South Africa line up for the anthems

Calm before the storm: South Africa line up for the anthems

Gallery - 2008 in pictures

The Welsh Grand Slam: Coming just 6 months after their removal from the World Cup by Fiji, Wales silenced their critics by being crowned Six Nations champs Guinness Premieship Final: Lawrence Dallalgio brought the curtain down on a glittering career helping his side to a 26-16 victory over Leicester. Heineken Cup Final: Munster claimed their second European crown with a win over Toulouse