Andy Farrell has dismissed Welsh claims Tadhg Furlong is an illegal scrummager, launching a strong defence of the Ireland tighthead prop.

Ireland have won their Six Nations clash with Wales by 24-14 to record a second successive victory under new head coach Andy Farrell.

Whichever way you viewed Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations opening-round win over Scotland seven days ago, there is little arguing with the verdict that Andy Farrell’s players simply have to do better this afternoon against Wales.

Only a game? Not strictly true.

Ireland must win key battles in the contact zone, writes Donal Lenihan.

It was only last week that Andrew Conway was asked whether, in light of the changes in the Ireland coaching ranks and the different lessons for players to learn, you could teach old dogs new tricks.

Robin Copeland’s last-gasp try rescued a 27-24 win from the jaws of defeat as Connacht pipped Gloucester in a dramatic Heineken Champions Cup clash at the Sportsground.

Connacht’s survival hopes in the Heineken Champions Cup may depend on a superb home record which has seen them lose just one of 14 games at the Sportsground in Europe in the past five years.

He will miss Munster's return game against Saracens and two PRO14 games, against Connacht and Leinster.

Johann van Graan admitted Saracens’ losing bonus point at Thomond Park could be crucial in the final shake-up in Munster’s European pool campaign.

Munster have defeated Saracens by 10 points to 3. Here's the match in 60 seconds.

World Rugby has announced the match official appointments for the men’s Six Nations 2020 as the road to Rugby World Cup 2023 begins in earnest for the world’s top referees.

Romain Poite will take charge of Saracens' visit to play Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday week as the referees for the back-to-back Champions Cup games were announced.

Referee Jaco Peyper was not considered for a World Cup semi-final appointment after an “inappropriate” picture of him with Welsh fans appeared on social media.

In the perfect world, the one the squad envisioned on the flight out to Japan, Ireland would already have their slot booked in the quarter-final by this stage.

That breathless Wales-Australia World Cup classic this morning had enough about it to turn Saturday’s Shizuoka shocker into the realm of a bad dream.

It means that Hodge will miss Australia’s remaining pool games against Wales, Uruguay and Georgia.

Ireland supporters will have breathed a little easier on Saturday night following this victory at the Principality Stadium.

Jacob Stockdale’s interception of a wayward Aaron Shingler offload on 28 minutes was expertly finished by the Ireland wing to notch his second try of the first-half and establish a 12-point cushion that allowed the Irish to release the pressure valve that had been tightening for the past week.

They have led the Irish team to greatness and back again and together will carry a nation’s World Cup hopes to Japan, but right now Rory Best is seeing one advantage in going up against Johnny Sexton.

French referees will take charge of the Irish provinces' Champions and Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Every Six Nations weekend generates a blizzard of statistics, come hail or shine, writes Peter Jackson.

Munster stayed in pole position to qualify top of a brutally tight Pool 2 in the Heineken Champions Cup with a superb 41-15 victory over Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Munster reclaimed their grip on Pool 2 and took a giant step towards an 18th European quarter-final as they claimed a bonus-point Heineken Champions Cup win over Gloucester with a stunning performance at Kingsholm.

Jonathan Sexton and Leo Cullen were deep into the third quarter of yesterday’s pre-match press conference when the conversation spooled back 12 months to Leinster’s Guinness PRO12 semi-final loss to Scarlets.

It was never a matter of whether Ireland would win this encounter with an Italy side which had lost 13 Six Nations games in succession but how difficult Conor O'Shea's team would make it for the home side.

Three challenges for Joe Schmidt facing Ireland against Italy today...

The sight of Dan Leavy joining the victory celebrations as players mobbed drop-goal hero Johnny Sexton gave Tadhg Furlong a chuckle as Ireland’s post-match review got underway at Carton House.

The frustration for Warren Gatland was already beginning to subside the morning after the night before the draw.

Warren Gatland hailed Sam Warburton's diplomacy skills as crucial to the British and Irish Lions' drawn Test series with New Zealand.

The Lions have drawn with New Zealand in a dramatic deciding test.

The British and Irish Lions must win Saturday's third Test in Auckland to claim a first series victory over world champions New Zealand since 1971.

Hurricanes 31 - Lions 31: IF CJ Stander, Iain Henderson and Dan Cole had any hope of staking their claims to a place in Warren Gatland’s matchday squad for Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks, it surely waned as the clock ticked past 75 minutes and they were still on the pitch, running themselves into the ground for the British & Irish Lions.

Rory Best refused to criticise referee Romain Poite after the British and Irish Lions were held to a 31-31 draw by the Hurricanes in Wellington.

The British and Irish Lions have drawn 31-31 with the Hurricanes in Wellington,writes Simon Lewis.

Keith Earls summed it up neatly when asked this week about what sort of pedigree Saracens will bring to Saturday’s Champions Cup semi-final.

Rassie Erasmus is under no illusions about the size of the challenge facing his Munster side when they come up against reigning European champions Saracens on Saturday.

Dylan Hartley is considering swapping the Bible for rugby's law book after accepting responsibility for England's slow reaction to Italy's tactics at Twickenham on Sunday.

England head coach Eddie Jones said: "We've got to come up with a new name for it, no-ruck rugby."

England survived an almighty scare to finish 36-15 winners at Twickenham as Italy issued a rousing response to scrutiny of their ongoing presence in the Six Nations.

Exeter 31 Ulster 19: Ulster boss Les Kiss cut a frustrated figure as his side’s hopes of reaching the European Champions Cup quarter-finals ended in England’s West Country last night.