Not going on a Lions tour is a substantial miss on the CV of any international rugby player, writes Ronan O’Gara. 

Munster 52 Worcester Warriors 21: It certainly wasn’t a happy return to Cork for former Munster and Ireland hero Donncha O’Callaghan as Munster stormed to a comprehensive pre- season win over Worcester Warriors at Musgrave Park last night.

Wales lock Luke Charteris has been hailed as one of Racing 92’s “most valuable assets” this season.

Chris Ashton believes Saracens are “in a good place” after positioning themselves for another full-blown assault on major European silverware.

Saracens took another giant stride towards a possible domestic and European double as they booked their place in next month's Champions Cup final by beating Wasps 24-17 at the Madejski Stadium.

Saturday, 9^th April, 7.30pm – Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore

England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler was last night banned for two games after his “gypsy boy” slur against Wales forward Samson Lee during last month’s RBS 6 Nations Championship game at Twickenham.

Conor O’Shea says he is “honoured, humbled, and excited” to have been appointed Italy’s new head coach on a four-year contract that will incorporate the 2019 World Cup.

Let's hope he does this against Ireland.

Toulon joining the Aviva Premiership “doesn’t stack up for a thousand reasons” but a European league could become a long-term reality, according to Gloucester chief executive Stephen Vaughan.

It’s more than a quarter of a century since the Berlin Wall came down and communism was rolled up like a musty carpet across Eastern Europe.

As the soul-searching continues within Munster Rugby in the wake of their European Champions Cup exit, chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald has admitted he too has considered his position with the provincial set-up.

IT HAS been some week for rugby. In a period overshadowed by the terrorist attacks that has put all in France and beyond on high alert, the postponement of Munster’s Champions Cup game in Paris was absolutely necessary.

Runaway league leaders Dundalk will be hot favourites to keep their double dream alive when they host Longford Town at Oriel Park in the first of this year’s FAI Cup semi-finals this evening (kick off 7.25pm, live on RTÉ 2).

George North returns to rugby’s international stage tomorrow afternoon with Wales coach Warren Gatland underlining that player welfare will always be paramount.

Wasps “are not the kind of club” to challenge the Aviva Premiership salary cap or “spend huge money” on new recruits despite joining Europe’s money elite, according to their chief executive.

RBS Six Nations: England 47 Italy 17: England full-back Mike Brown receives medical attention for a head injury.

Thomas Castaignede played 54 times for France at fly-half, full-back and centre, scoring 252 points for Les Bleus between 1995 and 2007, writes Simon Lewis.

Rugby: Bath boss Mike Ford has refused to be drawn on speculation that Wales international fly-half Rhys Priestland is to join the Aviva Premiership title contenders.

It says everything about the way rugby is going that the first person to occupy a seat on the top table at the Toulon post-match press conference after Sunday’s semi-final was club owner Mourad Boudjellal. Even Roman Abramovich wouldn’t chance that after a Chelsea victory.

Saracens 46 Clermont Auvergne 6

Brian O’Driscoll may be calling time on his stellar career at the end of the season but his former Ireland team-mate Peter Stringer is set for at least another year.

When Johnny Sexton reported for autumn international duty with Ireland last month, new head coach Joe Schmidt was on tenterhooks.

Donnacha Ryan has signed a new three-year contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union and will stay at Munster until at least June 2017.

John Afoa has rejected more lucrative offers from France and a crack at the Rugby World Cup in 2015 to reunite his family in Gloucester, according to Nigel Davies.

THE end is in sight, even if we are not quite there yet.

Ulster have confirmed that loosehead prop Tom Court will leave the club at the end of this season after agreeing a long-term contract with an unnamed Aviva Premiership side.

Connacht 17 Saracens 23

Three reasons to relish the return

Matt O'Connor has been appointed Leinster head coach on a three-year deal and will link up with the team on July 1.

Fiji international Sireli Naqelevuki has agreed a new contract with Aviva Premiership club Exeter.

Last Saturday’s victory in Cardiff was a moment and a spectacle to savour for Irish rugby but the stakes will be even higher in the Aviva on Sunday, a win and Ireland will not only be favourites for the championship but can dream of another Grand Slam.

Despite having to miss a number of recent races due to illness, Sean Tobin showed he is getting back into top form with an easy victory at the Aviva/Munster Schools Cross-Country at the WIT complex on the outskirts of Waterford city yesterday.

It says much about the continuing allure of the Munster vs Leinster rivalry that 46,280 people turned up at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday night to assess how Rob Penney’s more expansive game plan would match up to the more established wide threat posed by the European champions.

Welford Road, the home of Leicester Tigers and the biggest club rugby ground in England, has been axed as a potential venue for the 2015 World Cup.

They’re at it again!