As it turned out, Doug Howlett’s last act on a rugby pitch was to do what he did best during an illustrious career for the All Blacks and Munster — scoring a try.

Munster have announced that current squad captain Doug Howlett will retire from professional rugby at the end of this season.

RABODIRECT PRO12

Dolphin 6 Garryowen 15

Cornish Pirates 9 Munster A 10

Dolphin 24 Cork Constitution 27

Dolphin 24 Cork Constitution 27

Munster coach Rob Penney has borrowed a phrase from Maori culture to accurately articulate Paul O’Connell’s importance to Munster — Mana.

Dolphin 32 Shannon 17

Munster A 24 Leinster 17

Dolphin 27 UL Bohemians 9

RABODIRECT PRO12:

With a host of regular starters missing through Six Nations duty and others on the injury list Rob Penney has made twelve changes to his starting XV from the last RaboDirect PRO 12 game for tomorrow’s meeting with Edinburgh at Musgrave Park (7.45pm).

Munster backline duo Doug Howlett and Felix Jones have been ruled out of action for February after both underwent minor knee scopes last week.

Munster A 9 Rotherham Titans 9

Bristish and Irish Cup holders Munster face a major test of character when they take on Rotherham Titans at Clifton Lane this afternoon (2pm) with an experimental side.

The remaining big challengers for the Ulster Bank title will have sat bolt upright after taking stock of Dolphin’s clinical bonus point victory at Musgrave Park on Saturday.

Dolphin 32 St. Mary's College 14

Shannon 13 Dolphin 31

Munster 19 Aberavon 11

Perhaps the odd Aberavon player looked up last Saturday from the on-field combat in O’Dowd Park and thought he was back in Wales.

Munster A coach Ian Costello has the luxury of being able to name what is arguably his strongest team for today’s British and Irish Cup clash with Aberavon in Tralee (1pm).

Dolphin 21 Old Belvedere 15

Munster will reunite Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara at half-back for the first time in 19 months as head coach Rob Penney shuffles his deck for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Thomond Park (8pm).

Peter stringer and Ronan O’Gara will form a familiar halfback partnership for Munster’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with the Dragons in Thomond Park on Saturday (8pm).

Having spent precious little time at Munster in his first spell with the province six years ago, signing for them this summer barely represents a spiritual homecoming for James Downey.

Doug Howlett will be back in Munster colours here in La Rochelle this evening (6.30pm) for the first time in eight months after recovering from a career-threatening Achilles tendon injury.

Brian O’Driscoll remains Ireland’s first choice in the second centre position and Munster have signed Casey Laulala and James Downey but Keith Earls remains adamant — he wants to make the number 13 jersey his own for club and country.

The Tony McGahan era came to a disappointing end last night as Munster’s reign as league champions was ended emphatically by a rampant Ospreys in the RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final at Liberty Stadium.

Munster head coach Tony McGahan has been forced into a late reshuffle ahead of tonight's Rabo Pro-12 semi-final against the Ospreys.

Injured duo Ronan O’Gara and David Wallace will again be absentees when Munster take on the Llanelli Scarlets in a crucial RaboDirect Pro12 game at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday.

Munster may turn to All Black legend Tana Umaga to provide the missing link in a new coaching management team with former skipper Anthony Foley.

With seven of those involved in last Sunday's game against Ulster ruled out through injury, Munster are forced to reshuffle their side for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Glasgow Warriors at Musgrave Park tomorrow (7.15pm).

Keith Earls has been included in Tony McGahan’s extended squad for the RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Glasgow Warriors in Musgrave Park on Saturday (7.15pm).

Barry O’Mahony has been plucked from the relative obscurity of club rugby to fill the number seven position for Munster A in the British and Irish Cup semi-final clash with Leinster at the RDS this evening (6pm).

David Wallace, Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan and Conor Murray have all been named in Tony McGahan’s squad for the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster on Sunday.

Ronan O’Gara wants to lead Munster’s young guns into another glorious golden era.

Conor Murray and Paul O'Connell have both been omitted form the Munster squad for Saturday's RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Leinster at Thomond Park (7.30pm).

A Munster career going back to 1998 will be marked tonight when Mick O’Driscoll captains the RaboDirect Pro12 champions in a crucial fixture against Newport Gwent Dragons for what will be his 200th career for the province.

On the day that Mick O'Driscoll makes his 200th appearance for Munster, Save Tokula will make his first, in the side that takes on Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow (6.30pm).

Mick O’Driscoll will keep his charges well in rein as Munster go in search of another crucial RaboDirect Pro12 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow night.

New signing Save Tokula has been included in Munster’s 29- man squad for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Newport Gwent Dragons in Rodney Parade on Saturday (6.30pm).

The news Tony McGahan is to return to his native Australia to become defence coach with the Wallabies is superb for him on a personal level but not so good for Munster.

A combination of international commitment and injuries has resulted in a relatively inexperienced 28-man squad for Munster’s RaboDirect PRO 12 fixture in Thomond Park against Cardiff on Friday (7.05pm).

Munster head coach Tony McGahan has praised 21-year old winger Simon Zebo after the Cork Con man bagged two tries against Treviso helping Munster to a much-needed bonus point win.

Much of the talk leading into this tie surrounded the immediate future of Tomás O’Leary, after French TV claimed the Ireland international had inked a deal with Perpignan.

Benetton Treviso 14 Munster 35

Felix Jones, Mike Sherry and Tommy O'Donnell have all been included in the 28-strong Munster squad that will travel to Italy in the morning for the RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso on Saturday.

LEINSTER coach Joe Schmidt is hoping Rhys Ruddock will decide to stay in Dublin as reports persist the young and versatile back-row plans a switch south to Munster.

Tony McGahan has named a 28-strong squad for Munster’s final pool match against Northampton Saints that will be played in the stadium:mk Milton Keynes on Saturday (6pm).