Harlequins’ continuing efforts to keep their top players for next season’s National Division One campaign have met with further success.

Jonny Wilkinson will make his international comeback on Monday when the Lions face Argentina at the Millennium Stadium.

ENGLAND World Cup hero Neil Back could find himself walking a disciplinary tightrope when he reports for Lions duty tomorrow.

Warren Gatland is braced for an emotional Twickenham send-off tomorrow when Wasps target their third successive Zurich Premiership title under his acclaimed direction.

DLSP’s Mark Kavanagh has been hit with a whopping ten-year rugby ban by the IRFU’s Leinster branch after an incident in Palmerstown’s Metropolitan Cup clash with Monkstown last week.

Matt Stevens today revealed he is ready to fulfil his Lions dream after overcoming a knee injury and signing a new three-year contract with Bath.

WASPS second-row forward Richard Birkett has dubbed Saturday’s Zurich Premiership showdown at Twickenham with Leicester as “payback” time for the London side.

Relegated Harlequins have unveiled former Leicester boss Dean Richards as their new director of rugby.

JONNY WILKINSON’S waiting game ended last night when he was added to the Lions squad for this summer’s tour to New Zealand.

Zurich Premiership Gloucester have completed the signing of French fly-half Ludovic Mercier on a three-year contract.

Manager Alain Perrin handed record signing Diomansy Kamara the task of gaining Portsmouth the point they require to cement a place in the Zurich Premiership next season.

CONNACHT began the week with a drubbing by Sale Sharks but will end it cheering them on, as they could strengthen their squad for next season if the Sharks relegate Harlequins tomorrow.

Martin Johnson breathed a sigh of relief last night after being handed the chance to end his amazing career in style – rather than on the sidelines.

Martin Johnson tonight won his appeal against a yellow card which could have landed him a season-ending ban.

Ireland full-back Geordan Murphy admits Leicester face an uphill battle as they attempt to rescue a season which is slipping towards a bitterly disappointing conclusion.

Mark Evans tonight underlined the stark reality facing his Harlequins side as they prepare for judgement week.

Leicester 19 Toulouse 27

THE boot of fly-half Chris Malone handed Bath a crucial 21-19 win over London Irish at the Madejski Stadium - but his injury-time drop-goal could condemn the Exiles to relegation.

LEICESTER Tigers coach John Wells has warned his side to expect "cheap shots" from their Toulouse opponents in tomorrow's Heineken Cup semi-final.

London Irish centre Mike Catt is not expected to play again this season after suffering a knee injury.

WITH four Lions in his squad, Sale coach Kingsley Jones is confident the Sharks will end Connacht’s European Challenge Cup odyssey on Sunday - but not as confident as he would have been had Michael Bradley’s side not grabbed a lifeline with a late try in their semi-final first leg.

Concerns over the fitness of Iain Balshaw receded tonight when it was revealed the England full-back has suffered only a slight quadricep tear.

CAPTAIN Brian O’Driscoll met up with his Lions squad for the first time at their training base just outside Cardiff yesterday.

Leicester Tigers captain Martin Johnson is to appear before a Rugby Football Union (RFU) disciplinary panel in Coventry next Monday.

Leicester boss John Wells has done his best to play down the significance of Martin Corry’s red card against Saracens ahead of their Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse.

Jonny Wilkinson has vowed he will be fit to tour New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions this summer.

SCARLETS coach Gareth Jenkins has taken a swipe at the Welsh Rugby Union for allowing Wales coach Mike Ruddock to join the Lions tour.

Newcastle will not announce until an hour before kick-off whether or not Jonny Wilkinson will be involved against Zurich Premiership opponents Northampton tomorrow night.

FORMER Italy coach John Kirwan will have to wait for Ian McGeechan to turn down the job as Wasps’ director of rugby before finding out if he will succeed Warren Gatland.

Lions boss Clive Woodward has received a major boost following England World Cup winner Richard Hill’s return to action.

England prop Phil Vickery has suffered a setback on the road to recovery from his latest injury.

JONNY WILKINSON’S faithful understudy will step into the Heineken Cup spotlight today after firing a defiant message at Newcastle’s European detractors.

England prop Phil Vickery may be given a final chance to prove his fitness to Lions selectors when Gloucester play Leeds on April 9.

AUSTIN HEALEY has been sensationally axed for Leicester’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster tomorrow.

Gloucester and England centre Henry Paul will not play again this season because of a knee injury.

LEINSTER’S veteran captain Reggie Corrigan has warned his players Leicester Tigers will be no soft touch in Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final, despite what the seedings might suggest.

London Irish today announced the appointment of Australian Brian Smith as their new rugby director.

PERPIGNAN’S 22-year-old David Marty has been drafted into the French replacements for tomorrow’s Six Nations clash with Ireland at Lansdowne Road. He comes in for uncapped Toulouse back Benoit Baby, who will start at centre in place of the injured Ludovic Valbon.

London Irish have made five changes to the team that lost to Leeds Tykes last Sunday for their Zurich Premiership trip to play Leicester Tigers on Friday evening.

France flanker Serge Betsen could be on the verge of signing for English club Leicester after admitting holding talks with the Zurich Premiership leaders about a possible move in the summer.

Leeds Tykes put their woeful Zurich Premiership form to one side with a deserved win over London Irish in the Powergen Cup semi-final.

Ben Cohen fractured a cheekbone rather than his jaw in yesterday’s Tsunami Aid match between the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere at Twickenham.