B&I Cup final:

Munster 26 Newport Gwent Dragons 5: Two salient points emerged from Saturday night’s Guinness Pro 12 game at Thomond Park.

The prospect of missing out on qualification for next season’s European Champions Cup looms larger than ever for Munster after Glasgow Warriors’ win over the Newport Gwent Dragons on Thursday. That result drops Munster to eighth in the Guinness Pro12 table with only the top six assured of Champions Cup action.

Zebre 12 Munster 16: It wasn’t pretty and Anthony Foley admitted as much, but Munster’s head coach believes his side will consider Saturday’s nervy Pro12 victory at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi as ‘as a good win.’

Munster restored some much-needed Champions Cup pride as they rebounded from Parisian humiliation with a bonus-point victory over Stade Francais in Limerick today.

Anthony Foley has laid it on the line for his players ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Munster 35 Cardiff Blues 27: Five tries, five match points and their place at the top of the Guinness Pro12 table was the prize for Munster at Musgrave Park on Saturday, but the most avid home fan would admit that Cardiff were unlucky not to even take home a losing bonus point.

Munster 23 Glasgow Warriors 21: An error strewn Munster performance came dangerously close to causing a shock defeat to a Glasgow Warriors side composed largely of seconds and academy players in the Guinness Pro12 at Thomond Park last night.

With 16 Glasgow Warriors players tied up with Scotland at the World Cup as against five Munster men with Ireland, there is little doubt that the home side will be at a distinct advantage when the teams meet in a repeat of last year’s Guinness Pro12 final at Thomond Park this evening (6pm).

Munster head coach Anthony Foley will unleash his southern hemisphere imports on the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow, naming Aussie second row Mark Chisholm and New Zealand backs Tyler Bleyendaal and Francis Saili in the side for a crucial Guinness Pro12 clash.

Connacht head to Bayonne for tonight’s return leg (Stade Jean-Dauger, 7.45pm) of the back-to-back Challenge Cup fixtures with a new starting side featuring five debutants.

Lock Neil McComb was the hero for Ulster as he raced over for a match-winning try three minutes from the end to give new coach Mark Anscombe a winning start.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made just two changes to his starting XV for the Wallabies’ final Test of 2010 against France on Saturday night.

IF ever Martin Johnson was going to dash down the touchline, punching the air in celebration like Jose Mourinho it was at Twickenham on Saturday.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has named an unchanged matchday 22 for his side’s James Bevan Trophy clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

WITH a year to go to Rugby World Cup 2011, tournament organisers in New Zealand says preparations are well on track, despite last week’s earthquake near Christchurch.

Australia have made three changes to their team to take on South Africa in the Tri Nations at Bloemfontein on Saturday with Stephen Moore, Mark Chisholm and Ben McCalman drafted in.

OUT on their feet and with their trench in danger of being overrun at the Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night, Ireland’s pack looked to the sidelines for the arrival of reinforcements.

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson did not once seriously consider his position despite criticism prior to Saturday’s win over Australia in Sydney.

FURIOUS Nick Easter warned heads will roll if England fail to beat Australia in Sydney next Saturday.

AUSTRALIA scrum-half star Will Genia gets the chance today (11.05am Irish time) to do what he loves doing best – beating England.

IT IS usually wise to downplay the opposition before a huge Test match, but Australia captain Rocky Elsom has a simple message for his side ahead of their visit to Croke Park next Sunday: this is the best team in Ireland’s history.

WALLABIES vice-captain Berrick Barnes has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks after rolling his left ankle at training in Tokyo yesterday.

ANY hopes Munster may have harboured of star signing Jean de Villiers arriving early in Ireland were dashed in Brisbane on Saturday as Australia recorded a remarkable 21-9 Tri-Nations win over South Africa.

LOCK Alun-Wyn Jones believes Wales still have plenty of room for improvement despite their 21-18 victory over Australia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

WALES BOSS Warren Gatland has identified playmaker Matt Giteau as the man his team must stop in their quest for an overdue Tri-Nations scalp.

Australia coach Robbie Deans tonight insisted Twickenham “holds no baggage” for the Wallabies despite their poor recent record at the ground.

ROBBIE DEANS has named seven uncapped players in his first Australia squad for the Test against Ireland on June 14.

With Australia already guaranteed a place in the World Cup quarter-finals, head coach John Connolly has taken the opportunity to make 11 changes for Saturday’s final Pool B match against Canada.

NEW ZEALAND have recalled their big stars for Sunday’s World Cup Pool C clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

WITH the preliminaries against Wales and Fiji out of the way, Australia’s World Cup preparations begin in earnest with next Saturday’s Tri-Nations opener against South Africa in Cape Town.

Australia coach John Connolly is boosted by the return of fly-half Stephen Larkham for Saturday’s Test against Wales in Brisbane, while Western Force winger Digby Ioane will win his first Wallabies cap.

Australia head coach John Connolly admitted choosing his most potent backline is proving troublesome after naming another revamped team for Sunday’s clash with Ireland.

Australia captain Stirling Mortlock will start in the unfamiliar role of inside centre for Saturday’s clash with Ireland.

AUSTRALIA have called up hulking prop Rodney ‘Rodzilla’ Blake to face the All Blacks in Brisbane on Saturday, the only change to the side that handed South Africa a record thrashing two weeks ago.

WALLABIES sharpshooter Stirling Mortlock has vowed to improve his mediocre strike-rate as rain is set to make goal-kicking a key factor in this morning’s Tri-Nations clash against South Africa.

THREE gruelling battles in consecutive weeks took their toll as Ireland capitulated to a stronger Australian side at Subiaco Oval, Perth, on Saturday.

AUSTRALIA have included nine uncapped players in a new-look 33-man squad.

Australia head coach Eddie Jones has axed tight-head prop Al Baxter for Saturday’s clash with Ireland at Lansdowne Road and gambled on an inexperienced front row.

FIVE newcomers are included in the 31-man Australian squad for next month’s four-nation European tour, during which the Wallabies will face Ireland.

IF Munster’s pre-season form is anything to go by, then the team will improve on last year, according to centre Rob Henderson.

AUSTRALIA coach Eddie Jones has named an unchanged side for Saturday’s Test against France at the Stade de France in Paris.