Few stadiums in Europe sit in such spectacular surrounds as Toulon’s Stade Felix Mayol.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made five changes to his starting line-up as he aims to guide his new charges to a third consecutive Guinness Pro12 triumph against the Scarlets this evening (7.35pm kick-off).

Over the past two seasons, Leinster prop Jack McGrath had made a rapid progression on both club and international stages.

It’s been a season almost devoid of moments to savour for Leinster fans, despite today’s presence in Europe’s last eight, so it is hardly stretching the bounds of reason to suggest that yesterday’s team announcement may rank up there among the best days.

For the second game in succession, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has opted to make seven changes to his starting line-up.

Following the disappointment of last Sunday’s home defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has made a total of seven changes to his starting line-up for tonight’s Pro12 encounter against Zebre at the RDS.

Munster assistant coach Ian Costello last night dismissed media reports that Robbie Henshaw could be on his way to the province at the end of next season. 

Guinness Pro12: Leinster 14 Gwent Dragons 16: Leinster suffered a setback to their Pro12 play-off aspirations, as Tom Prydie’s 70th-minute penalty at the RDS yesterday meant they finished the weekend outside the league’s top-four spots.

Tom Prydie kicked the Newport Gwent Dragons to a famous victory as they handed Leinster their first defeat at the RDS since March 2013.

Head coach Matt O’Connor has made 11 changes to the Leinster starting 15 that travel to Cardiff for their PRO12 match on Saturday afternoon.

Leinster’s scrum coach Marco Caputo says a massive step up is needed this week in the European Champions Cup.

Leinster 18 Ospreys 12

Matt O'Connor has made six changes in total from the Leinster team that started against Treviso last weekend ahead of the visit of the Ospreys to the RDS tomorrow (Kick Off: 5.15pm).

Jordi Murphy and Dave Kearney make their first starts of the season in Leinster’s Guinness Pro12 clash away to Benetton Treviso at Stadio Monigo tomorrow (2.30pm).

Matt O’Connor has named his side to face Benetton Treviso in the PRO12 on Sunday and Dave Kearney is back in the starting 15 for the first time since May.

Leinster 33 Edinburgh 8

Matt O’Connor has made eight changes to the side that

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Munster kick off their A campaign at Donnybrook today (1pm) with new head coach Mick O’Driscoll welcoming an important addition to his backroom staff in Doug Howlett.

Leinster and Connacht have both named strong sides for their PRO12 clash in Galway on Friday night.

Leinster were unprepared mentally or physically for last week’s season-opening defeat to Glasgow, according to Fergus McFadden, who hopes the last-gasp defeat may prove a blessing in disguise.

Glasgow Warriors 22 Leinster 20

Glasgow 22 Leinster 20

Isaac Boss will represent Leinster for the one hundreth time against Glasgow tomorrow - having already made 108 appearances for Ulster, making him the first Irish player to clock in a century for two provinces.

No Kane Douglas yet, but Leinster head coach Matt O’Connor was happy yesterday to confirm that the province had retained the services of 21 players on new IRFU contracts for next season.

The Leinster team to face Treviso in the RaboDirect PRO12 tomorrow afternoon (KO: 5pm) has been named.

Leinster A 47 Munster A 15.

Matt O'Connor welcomes back the experienced duo of Mike McCarthy and Jordi Murphy for Leinster's game against Zebre on Sunday.

The Leinster team to face Connacht in tomorrow evening's RaboDirect PRO12 clash in the Sportsground (KO: 7.15pm) has been named.

Newport Gwent Dragons 19 Leinster 23

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

RABODIRECT PRO 12:

Shane Jennings will lead Leinster again as they face off against Glasgow Warriors tomorrow night (kick-off 7.35pm).

Gordon D'Arcy comes back into the Leinster team to face the Scarlets in tomorrow night's opening game of the RaboDirect PRO12 season in Parc y Scarlets.

Ireland's head coach Joe Schmidt can’t switch focus from his Leinster duties just yet, with the province reporting a number of injury concerns ahead of Friday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash against Ospreys.

Zebre 22 Leinster 41

Leinster and Ireland fly half Jonathan Sexton will make his return to action on Sunday, having been named in Joe Schmidt’s starting XV to take on Zebre, in Sunday afternoon's RaboDirect PRO12 clash at the Stadio del Tricolore (3pm GMT).

Leinster back rower Jordi Murphy is the only casualty from the weekend’s 22-17 victory over Glasgow Warriors as the province gear up for a crucial RaboDirect PRO12 interprovincial meeting with third place Ulster at the RDS on Saturday (6.15pm).

He is 35 now and has played almost 200 games for Leinster alone in a career sprinkled with silverware but there were strong indications again yesterday that Leo Cullen will soldier on for one more season with the province.

Cardiff Blues 11 Leinster 26

Leinster management have said thay they are confident Brian O’Driscoll will be available for Saturday’s crunch Heineken Cup meeting with Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park Stadium, despite picking up an ankle knock against the Scarlets over the weekend.

Crisis.

The glow from Ireland’s defeat of Argentina at the Aviva Stadium swept across Dublin’s southside to UCD yesterday with the confirmation that Brian O’Driscoll and Rob Kearney should both be fit for the start of the Six Nations next February.

Leinster back row Seán O’Brien took full a part in the province’s training session in UCD this afternoon ahead of Friday's RaboDirect PRO12 trip to face the Glasgow Warriors in Scotstoun (7.35pm).

Rob and Dave Kearney are among the Leinster players in line to return from injury ahead of Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Cardiff Blues in the RDS (6.30pm).

If reports from New Zealand this week are accurate, then 38-year-old Brad Thorn will be following up his three-month stint with Leinster earlier this year with a swansong of a season back on home soil with the Highlanders.

WITH all of the posturing and brinkmanship going on at the moment between the Premiership rugby umbrella in England and the rest of the European participants, we should cherish this Heineken Cup while we have it. With just two seasons left on the existing accord, it is inevitable the current format will be tweaked, if only for the warring factions on all sides to save face. In the meantime, let’s enjoy what we have and concentrate on matters on the pitch.

The spectre of European rugby looms large as ever as Leinster meet Munster for the first time this season but there is plenty of incentive in both camps for a positive outcome tonight to put right chastening recent RaboDirect Pro12 form.