Saracens have loomed large on Keith Earls’s horizon since he first broke into Munster’s professional ranks more than a decade ago.

Two tries from Keith Earls and a brilliant defensive effort kept Edinburgh at bay and helped Munster book a place in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals in a close-fought tussle at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Joey Carbery has been named in the Munster team for tomorrow's Champions Cup quarter-final against Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

A penalty by Jack Carty five minutes from full-time offered them a glimmer of hope, but ultimately proved sufficient only for a losing bonus point.

Glasgow Warriors maintained their unbeaten home record in the Guinness PRO14 with a 37-23 win over Toyota Cheetahs.

It is common in professional sport for the protagonists to talk of nothing but their focus on “the next game”, but this weekend’s clash with Munster has been many years in the planning for Glasgow Warriors’ head coach Gregor Townsend.

One thing Anthony Foley’s tragic passing highlighted over the last week was just how small and tightly knit the European rugby community is.

Ulster will roll out their strongest available line-out when they visit 2015 Guinness Pro12 winners Glasgow tonight.

Winger Tommy Seymour ran in four tries for Glasgow in a 33-25 victory over Leinster on Scotstoun's new artificial pitch.

They will need to close the blinds and put away the breakables when Connacht sit down to review this one at the Sportsground today. It will not be pleasant viewing, least of all for a squad who pride themselves on looking inward and taking responsibility.

Not the start the defending champions would have wanted.

Connacht’s incredible season records another first this evening when Pat Lam’s men contest the Guinness PRO12 semi-final against champions Glasgow.

Ireland’s Paddy Jackson will chalk up a century of appearances for Ulster in tonight’s Guinness Pro12 clash with champions Glasgow, (Scotstoun Stadium, 7.45pm, TG4).

England have selected Brad Barritt and Jonathan Joseph as their centre pairing for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up game against Ireland at Twickenham.

Ireland 28 Scotland 22: Though a myriad of questions remain to be answered, Saturday’s run against the Scots seemed to confirm that, for some, it all but marked the beginning of the end of their World Cup ambitions.

Joe Schmidt has said his Ireland side were "tested on a number of levels" today against Scotland.

Semi-final match winner DTH van der Merwe and scrum-half Henry Pyrgos have both been at pains this week to stress that Glasgow Warriors are not merely content to have reached Saturday’s Guinness Pro12 final.

Ulster signalled its serious intent for tonight’s Guinness Pro12 semi-final at Glasgow Warriors by naming its strongest possible side.

Glasgow Warriors’ clinical finishing proved too much for Connacht as the Guinness PRO12 leaders ran out 31-13 bonus point winners at the Sportsground.

Glasgow Warriors 39 Connacht 21

Glasgow Warriors 39 Connacht 21

Robbie Henshaw will make his 50th appearance for Connacht when he starts for them against Glasgow Warriors on Friday night.

Glasgow Warriors 22 Leinster 20

Glasgow 22 Leinster 20

Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend believes his team are coming to Thomond Park at the right time and in the right frame of mind.

RABODIRECT PRO12: Leinster v Glasgow

Ulster 23 Glasgow 6

Heineken Cup Pool 4

Scott Johnson will only make a decision on whether to extend his stay as interim Scotland coach once he has had the chance to impress in the RBS 6 Nations.

Edinburgh 17 Glasgow Warriors 21

Munster 31 Glasgow Warriors 3

Glasgow 0 Leinster 6

Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend is aware of the threat posed by Eric Elwood’s Connacht outfit who visit the Warriors new home Scotstoun Stadium on Friday night (7.35pm).

Glasgow Warriors have today named the side to face Leinster in the RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final at the RDS on Saturday night (kick-off 7.35pm).

Glasgow 24 Connacht 3

Glasgow 29 Aironi 6

Winning has almost become a habit for Leinster in the RaboDirect Pro 12 league this season but on Saturday they were given a reminder that past form does not guarantee success.

Leinster 38 Glasgow 13

Glasgow Warriors 12 Munster 23

EDINBURGH secured a third straight Magners League home victory without sparkling against Benetton Treviso, winning 21-9 on a damp night at Murrayfield.

Glasgow 33 Aironi 8

Wasps 38 Glasgow 26

Glasgow Warriors coach Sean Lineen is forecasting an "awesome" game against unbeaten Magners League leaders Munster at Firhill tomorrow night.