Here’s the lowdown on four big games across Europe...

Leinster 19 Bath 39: Semesa Rokoduguni, Harry Davies and George Ford helped themselves to second-half tries at Donnybrook last night, as Leinster’s pre-season campaign ended with a 20-point defeat against Bath.

Saracens 21 Racing 92 9: Welcome to the new world. Just a month before the British decide whether or not to stay in the EU, along come Saracens and rise to the top of European rugby. 

Wales prop Tomas Francis has received an eight-week ban for making contact with the “eye or eye area” of England forward Dan Cole in last Saturday’s Six Nations game at Twickenham.

Racing 92 sealed a home quarter-final tie in the European Champions Cup with a record victory over Scarlets in Paris.

Previous World Cups, in soccer and in rugby, have demonstrated the dangers of bigging up teams during the pool stages, but Michael Cheika and the Wallabies have certainly earned the praise.

Three of Welsh rugby’s biggest names — James Hook, Mike Phillips and Richard Hibbard — face uncertain international futures after seeing their World Cup hopes extinguished.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named nine uncapped players in a 47-man training squad for the Rugby World Cup.

Saracens travel to Racing Metro for their Champions Cup quarter-final tie tomorrow (Stade Yves-Du-Manoir, 12.45pm) full of confidence on the back of five straight wins.

World Rugby boss Brett Gosper has claimed his tweet was "over-interpreted" into partisanship when posting that hosts England failing to reach the World Cup quarter-finals would be "not the words we want to hear".

Wales 23 Ireland 16: Ireland’s Grand Slam ambitions have been ended and their hopes of retaining the Six Nations title severely dented by a seven-point defeat to Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

France 13 Wales 20

Warren Gatland has plunged his long-term future as Wales head coach into doubt after admitting Roger Lewis’s departure as Welsh Rugby Union chief later this year "probably does" have a bearing on his own long-term future.

Racing Metro 13 ASM Clermont Auvergne 13: Johnny Sexton expressed his bemusement with the French Top 14 countdown clock for goal-kicking after he was penalised for taking too long over a penalty in Racing Metro’s drawn league game with Clermont.

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre is relishing Saturday’s trial by fire at the Aviva as he aims to keep a special record intact.

Wales boss Warren Gatland has sprung the first surprise of this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship – by naming his team to face England 48 hours early.

Warren Gatland revealed a glowing recommendation from one of world rugby’s outstanding coaches played its part in New Zealand-born Gareth Anscombe making an unlikely journey from Super Rugby to potential Wales Test star.

England head coach Stuart Lancaster has backed Owen Farrell to make an impact from the bench against Australia at Twickenham tomorrow after dropping him from his starting XV for the first time since June 2012.

Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips has been relegated to the bench for Friday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against France in Cardiff.

Warren Gatland has been hailed as “a fantastic coach” as he prepares to re-enter the RBS 6 Nations arena in pursuit of an unprecedented title hat-trick.

Sam Warburton could start Wales’ RBS 6 Nations opener against Italy on Saturday as he prepares to make his comeback from injury.

Jamie Roberts believes it is “hugely important” that Wales make a statement when they tackle the world’s top team on Saturday.

Gethin Jenkins claims Wales will be a better team for being knocked off “cloud nine” by Australia.

Wales will head into the first of their three Tests against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday with 11 of the starting XV that clinched Grand Slam glory against France in March.

Team manager Guy Easterby has played down a historic double and warned Leinster they have won nothing yet.

Leinster will have to plan without Luke Fitzgerald for the rest of the season.

Connacht overcame the Newport Gwent Dragons to grab only their second away Rabo Direct Pro 12 victory since their opening day visit to Treviso.

Triple Grand Slam winner Gethin Jenkins has set his sights on extending Wales’ upward curve Down Under this summer.

Matthew Rees believes France will attempt to “bully” and “irritate” Wales as they attempt to claim the Grand Slam.

Wales kept their Grand Slam mission on course after seeing off a determined Italy outfit at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.

Wales are optimistic captain Sam Warburton will be fit to lead his team’s RBS 6 Nations title bid against France next Saturday.

Munster double centurion Mick O’Driscoll reckons Saturday’s victory over Newport Gwent Dragons was crucial to Red Army’s Pro12 hopes.

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.

World Cup skipper Sam Warburton has retained the Wales captaincy for next month’s one-off Test match against Australia in Cardiff.

WALES were left kicking themselves after suffering their third narrow defeat of a World Cup campaign that could easily have seen them contesting tomorrow’s final against New Zealand.

THE International Rugby Board is to review Warren Gatland’s claim he considered cheating in Wales’ defeat by France in the World Cup semi-finals.

WALES’ World Cup squad have rallied behind their suspended skipper Sam Warburton after he was sent off during an agonising semi-final defeat against France on Saturday.

ADAM JONES may be a pivotal part of Wales’ bid to make history this morning (9am Irish time) by reaching their first World Cup final.

Rhys Priestland has lost his fitness battle for Wales’ World Cup semi-final clash against France at Eden Park on Saturday.

Leigh Halfpenny – and not James Hook or Lee Byrne – will be the Wales full-back in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Ireland.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has named an unchanged team for Sunday’s World Cup clash with Samoa in Hamilton.

WALES coach Warren Gatland has tipped history-maker Sam Warburton to leave a lasting impression on the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Rhys Priestland has been handed the Wales fly-half role for Sunday’s World Cup Pool D clash against South Africa.

Gavin Henson has been selected in a 24-man Wales squad for next month’s Millennium Stadium clash against the Barbarians.

Newport-Gwent Dragons 13 Ulster 20

A TRAINING accident has ruled Willie Faloon out of Ulster’s do-or-die Magners League clash against the in-form Dragons tonight.

A POWERFUL front-row proved the game-breakers by earning a penalty-try to ease Leinster to a hard-fought win over the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.