Leinster 30 Llanelli Scarlets 22

LEINSTER will be at full strength for their Heineken Cup semi-final dress rehearsal against Llanelli Scarlets in the Celtic League at Lansdowne Road tomorrow night (7.10).

THE importance of winning yesterday’s Powergen Cup final was lost on Llanelli winger Mark Jones as soon as he spotted his stricken captain Simon Easterby lying prostrate on the Twickenham turf.

England’s World Cup-winning scrum-half Matt Dawson has announced he will retire from rugby at the end of the season.

London Irish captain Ryan Strudwick will leave the Guinness Premiership club at the end of this season.

MICK O’DRISCOLL has put family tragedy behind him to answer Munster’s call in today’s Celtic League fixture against Llanelli at Stradey Park (5.30pm).

CHRISTIAN CULLEN, Mike Mullins and Jeremy Manning have all been included in a 23-strong Munster squad for the Celtic League game against Llanelli Scarlets tomorrow (5.30pm) at Stradey Park.

WHILE France remain the bookies favourites to regain the championship they last won in 2004, Ireland’s sole Six Nations focus should be on beating England in Twickenham, thus securing the Triple Crown for only the eighth time in our long rugby history.

Danny Grewcock is ready for England’s daunting mission against France in Paris, but the Bath lock admits: “We have to raise our game.”

Gavin Henson has been given the opportunity to redeem himself from the bench in Wales’ RBS Six Nations Championship clash with Italy on Saturday.

Leicester have suspended hooker George Chuter pending a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing after he was cited for allegedly stamping on Wasps opposite number Raphael Ibanez during Saturday’s Powergen Cup semi-final.

Matt Dawson has been recalled to the England starting line-up for Sunday’s Six Nations Championship showdown against France in Paris.

PAUL O’CONNELL returned to training with the Ireland squad in Bray yesterday for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury in the Six Nations defeat by France in Paris.

England prop Matt Stevens appears to be facing a fitness fight ahead of next weekend’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against France in Paris.

Gavin Henson has taken full responsibility for Wales’ 31-5 Six Nations Championship defeat to Ireland after a performance that left him depressed and questioning his future in the game.

Mike Ruddock’s resignation as Wales coach has stunned planet rugby and left the reigning Six Nations Championship holders in the caretaker hands of Australian Scott Johnson.

LONDON IRISH are promising a bumper New Year’s Eve crowd the chance to kick off their celebrations early against Wasps at the Madejski today.

London Irish are promising a bumper New Year’s Eve crowd the chance to kick off their celebrations early with “a great craic at the Madejski” tomorrow.

IF Mossie Lawlor makes a decent contribution to Munster’s Heineken Cup challenge at Rodney Parade today (1pm), Declan Kidney will send a message of thanks to Shannon.

Italian minnows Calvisano are ready for an unlikely appointment with rugby giant Jonah Lomu when the New Zealand superstar arrives in town tomorrow.

SARACENS face a crucial Heineken Cup clash against Ulster in Belfast tonight, with rugby director Steve Diamond admitting: “We don’t need to motivate the players for this game.”

Saracens face a crucial Heineken Cup clash against Ulster in Belfast tomorrow night, with rugby director Steve Diamond admitting: “We don’t need to motivate the players for this game.”

WALES star Ceri Sweeney believes Newport Gwent Dragons are facing one of the “biggest challenges in Europe” ahead of a Heineken Cup fortnight against Munster.

ULSTER have named an unchanged lineup for Friday’s opening Heineken Cup back-to-back games with Saracens at Ravenhill.

Wales star Gavin Henson is set to return to action for the Ospreys this weekend.

England will have Lewis Moody available for their entire RBS 6 Nations campaign after the Leicester flanker was given a nine-week suspension for fighting.

Wales fitness coach Andrew Hore is concerned about an increase in injuries caused by the brutal nature of the modern game and the intensity of the fixture list.

JASON ROBINSON has rallied Sale Sharks for their next tough Heineken Cup assignment, but conceded: “There is no hiding place in this tournament.”

Ben Cohen’s rich try-scoring form has been rewarded with a recall to the England squad for the autumn Investec Test series.

Bath’s Heineken Cup preparations have been dealt a double blow after centre Andrew Higgins and prop David Barnes were banned by disciplinary chiefs.

All Black Xavier Rush and Lions openside Martyn Williams have been included in Cardiff's side to play Leinster at The RDS on Saturday.

Jonny Wilkinson will make his first start of the season when Newcastle tackle Guinness Premiership leaders Leicester at Welford Road tomorrow night.

Jonny Wilkinson could make his comeback ahead of schedule in Newcastle’s Powergen Cup clash against Sale Sharks on Sunday

Leicester have hit their England and Lions flanker Lewis Moody with a four-week ban after he admitting striking an opponent.

FEW members of the British & Irish Lions squad returned from New Zealand with their reputations enhanced after the 3-0 whitewashing at the hands of the All Blacks.

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

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.

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.