The significance of Paul O’Connell’s final game for Munster this evening is lost on no-one who has shared his remarkable career in red.

France star Wesley Fofana scored the game’s solitary try just after half-time as French heavyweights Clermont prevailed 13-9 against Saracens to reach their second European final in three seasons.

Racing Metro 92 11 Saracens 12: Marcelo Bosch basked in the gratitude of his team-mates after kicking Saracens into the semi-finals of the Champions Cup in dramatic scenes in north Paris.

Saracens have received a triple injury boost with Owen Farrell, Brad Barritt and Charlie Hodgson all declared fit for Saturday’s crunch European Rugby Champions Cup clash with Munster.

Thomond Park hasn’t exactly rocked of late, a point not lost on Edinburgh or Ospreys who seized their moment to bag rare wins in their respective Guinness Pro12 outings in Limerick last month.

Now comes the hard part.

Wingers Chris Ashton and David Strettle propelled Saracens to a 30-23 bonus point victory over Clermont in their Champions Cup grudge match at Allianz Park.

Rod Nawn rates the Ulster men in a Payne-less game.

Fourteen-man Ulster just failed to reach the Heineken Cup semi-final today after an astonishing clash which hung in the balance right to the end at the newly constructed Ravenhill.

Saracens 64 Connacht 6

Saracens 64 Connacht 6

Irish players must take responsibility against Saracens

Mark Anscombe admits that John Afoa’s preparations for Saturday’s crucial Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens at Twickenham have been far from ideal.

Mark Anscombe admits that John Afoa’s preparations for Saturday’s crucial Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens at Twickenham have been far from ideal.

Richard III’s remains may have been discovered in a car park in Leicester earlier this week but Owen Farrell would do well to pay greater heed to Shakespeare’s Henry IV ahead of England’s visit to Dublin this weekend.

Saracens 40 Edinburgh 7

Munster will go into their Heineken Cup pool game at Saracens tomorrow (3pm) having been told they are masters of their own destiny by head coach Rob Penney.

Munster 15 Saracens 9

Over the next two weekends, Rob Penney is about to learn just how much progress has been made since he began his revolution of the Munster rugby philosophy five months ago.

Doug Howlett has been there before, enjoyed the highs of Test rugby and brought the feelgood factor into his club the following week.

Saracens 28 Gloucester 23

Owen Farrell will start opposite fellow world player of the year nominee Dan Carter after being confirmed as England’s starting fly-half against New Zealand.

Saracens say their former England fly-half Charlie Hodgson will be sidelined “for a number of weeks” after fracturing his cheekbone.

England full-back Alex Goode described Charlie Hodgson as the best fly-half in the Premiership after watching him orchestrate Saracens’ 30-13 Heineken Cup victory over Racing Metro on Saturday.

Edinburgh 0 Saracens 45

Northern Barbarians 31 England 57

Saracens 3 Clermont Auvergne 22

WITH five of the eight quarter-finalists coming from Ireland and France it appears strange that the national sides of both are left disappointed with mid-table finishes in the northern hemisphere’s trophy international tournament.

1 DEFENCE

Owen Farrell has retained the England fly-half jersey for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France, despite the return to fitness of Charlie Hodgson.

Captain Ross Ford believes a Scotland win in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin is necessary for the squad to retain belief that they are moving in the right direction.

Mike Phillips believes Wales must shut out the external hype and hysteria surrounding their Triple Crown bid today — or risk blowing hopes of a rare Twickenham win.

Owen Farrell will start at fly-half for England in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations game against Wales after Charlie Hodgson failed to recover from a finger injury.

Mike Phillips believes Wales are “in a good place” as they prepare for a Triple Crown assault at Twickenham that could leave them two wins away from Grand Slam glory.

The 20-year-old landed four penalties and a tough conversion, following Charlie Hodgson’s second charge-down try in as many weeks, as England rallied from 15-6 down to claim their second win of the championship.

Italy 15 England 19

Centre Jonathan Davies has warned Scotland there is plenty more to come from the Wales backline ahead of tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations meeting at the Millennium Stadium.

Former Wales captain Ryan Jones will take the place of banned lock Bradley Davies in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Millennium Stadium visitors Scotland.

Chris Robshaw will captain an unchanged England team into Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Scotland fly-half Dan Parks has retired from international rugby with immediate effect, the Scottish Rugby Union have announced.

Stuart Lancaster confirmed he has applied for the full-time England coach’s job after joining his players in shedding blood in a physical Calcutta Cup win over Scotland on Saturday.

FT: Scotland 6 England 13

Owen Farrell, Brad Barritt and Phil Dowson will make their Test debuts in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland as part of a new-look and inexperienced England team.

Saracens 20 Biarritz 16

Biarritz 15 Saracens 10

Matt Stevens’ return from the ignominy of a drugs ban continued today when he was confirmed in England’s 45-man Rugby World Cup training squad.

England 32 Barbarians 38

Hendre Fourie has replaced Joe Worsley in the England squad to play Italy in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match at Twickenham after proving he has recovered from a calf strain.

Louis Deacon has been recalled to the England squad for the RBS 6 Nations as a replacement for banned Gloucester lock Dave Attwood.

Saracens have confirmed that England fly-half Charlie Hodgson is to join them on a long-term deal from the start of next season.