Leo Cullen is expecting a Dragons side revitalised under new ownership and the guidance of former team-mate Bernard Jackman when Leinster open their Guinness Pro14 campaign at Rodney Parade in Newport this afternoon (3:15pm).

Leo Cullen admits he took on a mission impossible when he became Leinster boss two seasons ago.

Bernard Jackman is a self-confessed rugby junkie and that’s why nobody was happier than he was when the pre-season began at his new club, the Dragons, earlier this month.

Leinster 31 Glasgow Warriers 30: A youthful Leinster side had to deal with a second-half Glasgow power surge and a floodlight failure, the latter coming only 90 seconds out from the final whistle, before securing a 10th straight Guinness PRO12 win last night.

Just one week after proving to all of Europe how dangerous he is in the No 15 shirt, Joey Carbery is back to orchestrate another Leinster victory, only this time he will be wearing number 10.

Joey Carbery will make his first start at full-back for Leinster in their Guinness PRO12 visit to Dragons tonight.

Leo Cullen has made eight changes for Leinster's Pro12 clash with Edinburgh tomorrow evening in the RDS.

Rassie Erasmus yesterday insisted a six month extension of Jaco Taute’s contract has still not been agreed between Munster, the IRFU and Western Province. The deal must be struck by midnight on Saturday, but it looks a near certainty to be completed.

Munster 29, Leinster 17: Munster laid down a marker over their Guinness Pro12 title rivals as they saw off old enemies Leinster in style at Thomond Park.

Except for the very few Leinster supporters who made the long journey to Limerick, the record 26,200 crowd enjoyed their time at Thomond Park last night. It was a truly stirring encounter from the kick-off with Munster initially and then Leinster enjoying periods of supremacy.

As if biggest game of the weekend needed any further spice, Munster head into the Aviva Stadium cauldron to face their fiercest rivals with the abrasive presence of captain Peter O’Mahony.

Leinster’s South African star Zane Kirchner says Ruan Pienaar has been left “heartbroken” by the IRFU decision to block Ulster’s plans to re-sign the star.

Edinburgh isn’t exactly the scene of last week’s crime but it should be close enough to concentrate minds as Leinster seek to atone for the manner in which they coughed up a winning lead down the M8 in Glasgow last time out.

Winger Tommy Seymour ran in four tries for Glasgow in a 33-25 victory over Leinster on Scotstoun's new artificial pitch.

Girvan Dempsey believes Rob Kearney is poised to return to something like the form of old now that the Leinster and Ireland full-back finally appears to have put a prolonged period of injury frustration behind him.

With most of the province’s established stars in the Ireland camp preparing for the Six Nations, a number of younger players are being given a chance to shine in tomorrow’s PRO12 game.

Following a five-day turnaround from their morale-boosting Guinness Pro12 victory over Munster at Thomond Park, head coach Leo Cullen has made wholesale changes to his starting line-up for Leinster’s latest interprovincial clash with Connacht at the RDS this evening (5pm kick-off).

Leinster 8 Ulster 3: Not exactly the kind of evening to restore one’s faith in Irish provincial rugby.

Change is the order of the day for Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, who has chosen a completely new starting line-up for his side’s latest Guinness Pro12 encounter against Scarlets at the RDS this evening.

Despite being short 17 players following World Cup squad announcements, Leo Cullen is able to call on plenty of experience for his opening Guinness Pro12 encounter as head coach of Leinster against Edinburgh in Meggetland tonight (7.35pm).

Vern Cotter has extended his Scotland contract until 2017 in a major show of faith from the Scottish Rugby Union ahead of the World Cup.

Irish coach Joe Schmidt insisted during the week that places in the World Cup squad were still up for grabs. After yet another defeat to the Barbarians at Thomond Park last night, he will go home for another re-think after a performance he described as “a bit inaccurate.”

The retiring Shane Jennings is set to go out on a high when captaining the Barbarians against Ireland at Thomond Park tomorrow night.

Edinburgh 23 Leinster 36

Guinness Pro12

An enormous game for both teams. So said Tommy Bowe earlier this week of tonight’s Guinness PRO12 meeting in Belfast between Ulster and Leinster.

Leinster will be burdened by massive regrets this week as they somehow attempt to patch themselves up for an unforgiving five-day turnaround with the season-defining outing against Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.

Leinster salvaged real pride despite losing after extra time at the Velodrome in Marseille yesterday. 

With their European Rugby Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon just eight days away, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has opted to wrap his star players in cotton wool for the province’s Guinness Pro12 encounter with Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow.

Over the past two seasons, Leinster prop Jack McGrath had made a rapid progression on both club and international stages.

Leinster 18 Bath 15: Hardly the sort of performance to put the fear of God into the other three remaining Rugby Champions Cup semi-finalists, but Leinster coach Matt O’Connor insists his side are still a difficult nut to crack.