Cardiff Blues backs coach Gareth Baber has supported the club’s handling of Gavin Henson’s sacking, and defended the decision to allow players to go out for a drink after Friday’s defeat in Glasgow.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS insist there has been no formal contact from England to Jim Mallinder about taking over Martin Johnson’s role — but the Saints insist they will battle to keep hold of their director of rugby.

Wales centre Gavin Henson is set to make his return to rugby after accepting an invitation to play for the Barbarians against South Africa at Twickenham in December.

THE spectre of Gavin Henson continues to hang over Welsh rugby after he featured in a marketing campaign for the new Wales kit yesterday.

Leicester captain Geordan Murphy has signed a new contract with the Guinness Premiership champions.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS’ director of rugby Jim Mallinder says his side will take a lot of belief from their performance in Friday’s narrow defeat at Munster as they face up to another trip to Limerick for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

Wales internationals Dan Lydiate and Luke Charteris return to The Dragons side to play Leinster in the Magner's League at Rodney Parade on Sunday.

THE Ospreys may be drinking in the last chance saloon, but captain Ryan Jones refuses to call time on their season until last orders are served at Thomond Park tomorrow.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN has welcomed his stint as Barbarians coach as an early chance to banish memories of Ireland’s calamitous World Cup.

NEW Munster captain Paul O’Connell knows he has a tough act to follow.

THE CELTIC League has finally unveiled the fixtures for next season after a summer of wrangling.

The Celtic League have released the fixtures for next season after a summer of wrangling.

THE Welsh Rugby Union helped smooth out the reinstatement of the Celtic League by offering a “significant financial contribution“, it was confirmed yesterday.

The Welsh Rugby Union helped smooth out the reinstatement of the Celtic League by offering a “significant financial contribution,“ it was confirmed today.

The Scottish and Irish rugby unions have reached agreement with their Welsh counterparts over a future structure for the Celtic League.

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Steve Lewis heads into a Celtic League showdown with Scotland and Ireland today warning that failure to reach an agreement would be professional suicide for all concerned.

WRU chief executive Steve Lewis will do everything in his power to get the Scots and Irish to resurrect a full-blown Celtic League campaign for next season.

Officials from Wales’ four regional sides remain hopeful of a resolution to the row which has led to the cancellation of the Celtic League in 2005-2006.

A WAR of words has erupted between the Irish, Welsh and Scottish rugby unions following the collapse last night of the 2005-06 Celtic League season.

The Irish Rugby Football Union has today announced the cancellation of the 2005-6 Celtic League season following talks with the Welsh Rugby Union.