Jonny May insists England “owe the country” when they face Ireland having ceded the NatWest 6 Nations title to their rivals.

Wales moved up to second in the NatWest 6 Nations table behind champions Ireland after claiming an expected bonus point victory over Italy.

Jonny May has revealed that the recent bite to training has forced the intervention of coaches, as England look to relaunch their NatWest 6 Nations title defence.

Taulupe Faletau will captain Wales and Scarlets flanker James Davies makes his Test debut in Sunday's NatWest 6 Nations clash against Italy in Cardiff.

Johann van Graan has signalled his intent to make Munster a more dynamic attacking force next season with the signing of Irish-qualified Sale Sharks full-back Mike Haley.

Doncaster prop forward Ian Williams has died after he collapsed at training, the Greene King IPA Championship club have announced.

Ben Te’o has been instructed to go “fox-hunting” when England launch their NatWest 6 Nations title defence on Sunday.

Is it any wonder the structure of the professional game in Ireland is the envy of so many of our international counterparts at present?

Worcester wing Josh Adams will make his Wales debut in Saturday's NatWest 6 Nations opener against Scotland.

Charles Piutau has, at best, five months of rugby in an Ulster shirt to realise his ambition of bringing silverware to a trophy-hungry Kingspan Stadium.

As he reflects on last week’s defeat to Munster at Thomond Park, Jonny May puffs out his cheeks and sighs.

Leo Cullen is hoping that Stuart Lancaster continues to ignore the whispers connecting him to vacant posts in the Aviva Premiership, with Northampton Saints the latest role to be painted as a good fit for the former England head coach.

Exeter is a club that has never been asked to run before it could walk and that has fashioned an inexorable rise, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Now I get it. After my maiden visit to Sandy Park, nestled in the picturesque city of Exeter, I understand why Donncha O’Callaghan has described the reigning Aviva Premiership champions as everyone’s second favourite team in England, says Donal Lenihan.

Try as hard as they might, world-class rugby players prefer to do their talking on the pitch rather than seek the limelight in the media — unless contract renewal time has come round again.

As statements go this was as big as they get.

Time and again, Leo Cullen has teed up a Champions League tie as a meeting of opposites.

Fledgling international star Jacob Stockdale will be back in Ulster’s colours when the next stage of the Champions Cup gets underway for Les Kiss’s side on Sunday when they face in-form Harlequins at The Stoop.

English rugby boss Steve Brown has admitted “all options” will be considered over restructuring the Aviva Premiership.

The England star will undergo further testing to determine his recovery period.

A decision to extend the English rugby season has been met by a wave of disapproval, writes Simon Collings.

Wales 18 New Zealand 33: Wales could be minus a third of the team beaten by New Zealand for next Saturday’s autumn series finale against South Africa.

Exeter Chiefs may be the reigning Aviva Premiership champions but when it comes to Europe they are still looking to make their mark.

Devin Toner says Leinster are bubbling to the boil at just the right time as they prepare to host moneybags Montpellier in the RDS this Saturday.

Former Irish lock Donncha O’Callaghan said that getting through his 20th preseason campaign as a professional was made all worthwhile when he was this week named as captain of Worcester Warriors for the season.

Saracens back-rower Billy Vunipola could miss the first month of the Aviva Premiership season in England as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery.

Leicester boss Matt O'Connor says Manu Tuilagi knows that "he got it wrong" after being sent home from an England training camp eight days ago.

Whoever organised the accommodation arrangements for the British & Irish Lions last week at Carton House must have had a chuckle when they made Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar room-mates.

Former British and Lions coach Ian McGeechan says the 2017 tourists “need all six games” in the build-up to the first Test in New Zealand.

The lack of an Irish presence may have dampened our enthusiasm in the buildup to the Champions Cup final but, in the end, worthy finalists Saracens and Clermont Auvergne produced a captivating spectacle.

Donncha O’Callaghan has been hailed as one of the most professional rugby players in the world after the 38-year-old former Munster legend signed on for another season in the English Premiership with Worcester Warriors.

Jonathan Joseph was included in the Lions squad for New Zealand after Warren Gatland decided a player who has caused Wales so much torment on his watch could not be overlooked.

Rassie Erasmus is under no illusions about the size of the challenge facing his Munster side when they come up against reigning European champions Saracens on Saturday.