Latham offers a tonic for Wallabies

As the Wallabies made heavy weather of beating a largely Springbok B team 25-17, their mighty full-back was banishing doubts over his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery in a Queensland club match, his first for eight months. His return, at least one month ahead of schedule, will not make the Wales task any easier at the Millennium Stadium on September 15.

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Latham, Australia's full-back in the World Cup Final against England four years ago and in the form of his life during last season's European tour, has not played Test rugby since the 44-15 win in Scotland last November but predicts he will be fully fit by September with a series of matches in the Queensland Premier League for the Gold Coast Breakers.

'It's not a probability — it's a definite,' he said after 40 minutes without mishap. 'I've never felt as nervous. It was all the apprehension of whether everything would hold together.

'I didn't want to run out and have to hobble straight back off again. I needed that match to get rid of the fear and to know the knee is as strong as ever. I just can't wait for the next game.' The Tri-Nations' decider against the All Blacks on Saturday week will surely come too soon for their No 1 full-back but the Wallabies are already talking up their prospects of being the first country to win in New Zealand since England in Wellington four years ago.

Head coach Graham Henry will hardly have lost any sleep after watching his neighbours come from a long way behind to scratch out a win over South Africa's second string. For the second time in a matter of weeks, the Wallabies gave understrength opponents a 17-point start.

Wales reserves went much closer to making their hosts suffer at the same venue, losing to a try from the last move of the match. The Springboks, sailing clear with a maiden Test try from Wikus van Heerden followed swiftly by Breyton Paule's interception, succumbed long before the end to tries from Mark Gerrard, Stephen Hoiles and Matt Giteau.

Despite leaving his first XV at home, Springbok coach Jake White did not escape unscathed. Bobby Skinstad's fractured rib leaves his acting captain in a race to be among the 22 against England at the World Cup in Paris on September 14. 'One of their fatties fell on me in a loose maul,' he said. 'I'm just hoping for the best