Ulster head coach Dan McFarland accepts it “won’t be the end of the world” if his team slip up and lose a game over the next few weeks.

Castleknock College held off a spirited fightback from Cistercian College, Roscrea at Donnybrook Stadium yesterday to book their place in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals.

DAN McFarland was looking forward to a day of watching rugby on the couch yesterday as the extent of the challenge awaiting Ulster in the spring slowly unfolded in front of his eyes.

Mickey Harte hasn’t given up hope of holding on to All-Star attacker Cathal McShane as speculation intensifies that he is on his way to an Aussie Rules career with the Brisbane Lions.

Three wins from three in the Champions Cup, but Dan McFarland says Ulster still have a long way to go to be considered a top-eight side in Europe.

The four Irish provinces have named their teams for this weekend's Champions Cup clashes.

As he prepares to lead Ulster out at home for the first time since taking over as captain, Iain Henderson has a vision of what he wants.

Keith Earls will make his first Munster appearance of the season in tomorrow's Champions Cup opener against the Ospreys.

Ireland prop Jack McGrath admits his World Cup omission has been “pretty painful” and one of the lowest points of his career.

Rory Best’s ankle injury has cleared up in time to allow him to have the send-off he hoped for, and the Ireland captain suspects he’ll be an emotional wreck when he says goodbye at the Kingspan Stadium tonight

Dan McFarland says a “mental hangover” from the Champions Cup loss to Leinster cost Ulster in Glasgow last weekend but believes they’ll return to Scotland tonight refreshed and ready to pip Edinburgh to a play-off place.

Dan McFarland has made three changes as Ulster bid to get back to winning ways away to Edinburgh.

Ulster have announced their starting XV to take on Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium.

No Jonathan Sexton, Rob Kearney on the bench and Jack McGrath given the weekend off.

Rhys Ruddock will captain the Leinster Rugby team taking on Ulster tomorrow, while Johnny Sexton has been ruled out following an injury.

Ulster may have achieved their goal in leapfrogging Benetton in the chase for a Guinness PRO14 knock-out place, but there was mixed news in the aftermath of Saturday’s win over Southern Kings for coach Dan McFarland ahead of next week’s Champions Cup quarter-final with Leinster.

Voice of experience Cave nears end of line

Jim Stokes Auckland-born Sean Reidy makes his 100th appearance for Ulster tomorrow against the Dragons at Rodney Parade - the same opponents he faced when making his debut five years ago.

It was a performance riddled with mistakes, so many of them elementary, but the side's reaction to adversity in the second-half, when coming from 13-0 down to claim the lead and hold out in the face of considerable pressure, was impressive.

Iain Henderson bustled and hustled his way to a try in each half as Ulster barnstormed to a bonus-point victory over Scarlets to keep their Heineken Champions Cup qualifying hopes very much alive.

Skipper Rory Best hailed Ulster’s second-half display as they dug in for a vital 24-10 win over Leicester Tigers to kick-start their Heineken Champions Cup campaign.

Ireland’s Jordi Murphy makes his Ulster PRO14 debut tonight when Edinburgh visit the Kingspan Stadium.

Ulster 15 Scarlets 13

New Ulster signing Henry Speight hopes to leave the province ‘a better player than when I arrive.’

Tyrone 1-12 Donegal 1-16: Donegal and Tyrone threw the play-books out the window and served up an entertaining Bank of Ireland McKenna Cup final.

Galway scored their 13th ever league win over Tyrone when they led throughout a tough contest at Tuam Stadium.

UCC 15 Dolphin 25: Dolphin gave their Ulster Bank League Division 1B survival hopes a huge boost with a victory over UCC at the Mardyke last night.

UL 0-12 Queen’s University 1-8

Tyrone 3-17 Queen’s University 0-11: Mickey Harte handed out seven debuts to inject some young blood into his team, and they responded with a commanding performance as the Dr McKenna Cup holders began their title defence with a resounding win at Healy Park.

98 students from 15 sports have won scholarships from UCC for their sporting and academic excellence.

In a return to Kingsholm, injury-hit Connacht go head to head with English Premiership side Gloucester for the chance to play Champions Cup rugby next season.

A first home semi-final is the prize for Connacht if they overcome this evening’s Challenge Cup quarter-final opponents Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Queen’s 0-8 Sligo IT 1-9 (after extra-time)

Derry 1-5 Queen’s 1-9

Donegal 2-16 Queen’s 1-08: Rory Gallagher posted his first win as Donegal manager as his side comfortably overcame Queen’s University Belfast in miserable conditions in Ballybofey yesterday.

Gloucester 45 Munster 8

Kerry 1-14 Mayo 2-07

England 42 Ireland 15

England 33 Ireland 9

Munster U20 18 Leinster U20 19

Munster 28 Gloucester 17

Munster U19 13 Leinster U19 32

Holders Rockwell dealt admirably with the awful weather conditionsprevailing at Clanwilliam Park, Tipperary, yesterday to emerge decisive victors over Castletroy in the quarter-final of the Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Senior Cup.

The knockout stages of the Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup arrive with four attractive quarter-final matches over the next two days.

An outstanding forward pack powered by one of the Ryan triplets in each of the three rows of the scrum was the decisive element in St Munchin’s impressive victory in yesterday’s Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final at Dooradoyle.

TWO-GOAL Conor Finnegan was Cavan’s hero as they booked their place in the Ulster MFC final with a three points win over All-Ireland champions Tyrone at Brewster Park last night.