We were barely beyond the final rounds of the Champions Cup before the mind games — with Eddie Jones as always to the fore — at the Six Nations launch in London last week reminded us that the main course is about to land in our laps pretty soon, writes Donal Lenihan.

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.

Ulster have refused to confirm, or deny, that they are poised to sign the talented Wallaby fly-half Christian Leali’ifano on a short-term contract.

New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams was praised on social media for scoring a try after fasting 10 hours for Ramadan.

Robbie Henshaw was going up against childhood hero Sonny Bill Williams when he made his British and Irish Lions debut against the Blues at Eden Park this morning and he was expecting a surreal experience.

The British and Irish Lions squad announcement followed the usual pattern — a majority of predictable selections, a few left field picks, some surprise omissions along with the customary bolter. Warren Gatland was always good for a few of those and in Ross Moriarty, Ben Te’o and Ireland’s Jared Payne, he didn’t disappoint.

British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland should take note — All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett is on a different planet right now and might be even better than three-times World Player of the Year Dan Carter, New Zealand rugby pundits have said.

Connacht will divvy up the role of skills coach Dave Ellis among the existing management until a replacement is found.

The gaffer around here started asking me a question Wednesday, and I cut him off mid-sentence. This is the rest of the answer. Yes. It does, it wrecks my head I never got to work under, to work with, Joe Schmidt. That I didn’t get 10 years at the top of my game under him, writes Ronan O’Gara

With a 4.15pm kick-off on a Sunday afternoon for Racing Metro’s crucial Top 14 derby clash with Stade Francais, I was afforded the opportunity to watch bucket loads of rugby last weekend.

Before looking forward to the inaugural Champions Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday, I feel compelled to examine the implications of an announcement last week that attracted minimal attention on this side of the world.

Connacht hooker Tom McCartney has come up against some of the world’s top front rows in his seven years playing Super rugby Down Under, but it is Ireland’s Rory Best who he is now trying to emulate.

A dozen have been recruited and a dozen have failed to take centre stage, but Munster will hope All Black Francis Saili can finally provide a remedy for their midfield woes.

Today Munster announced the recruitment of Auckland Blues and All Blacks centre Francis Saili.

Locals are left devastaed after popular Cork pub is destroyed by fire over the weekend, Munster Rugby’s latest signing is a bit of a gas character, burn off the easter eggs with these helpful videos, man crashes car and runs through a toy shop naked, and more. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com this lunchtime.

Ulster have broken into their bank vault to sign All Blacks scoring machine Charles Piutau with a reputed £1million-plus two-year deal.

Connacht head coach Pat Lam has signed a new three-year deal ahead of the province’s final chance to bag a Challenge Cup quarter-final.

It has been announced that Connacht head coach Pat Lam has signed a three-year extension to his contract to keep him as the main man at the Galway Sportsground.

Barbarians 36 Australia 40

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt will not be rushed into new contract talks ahead of the November Tests, insists IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora.

Connacht coach Pat Lam has refused to get involved in a war of words with Rob Penney after the Munster boss claimed that the signing this week of Mils Muliaina illustrated that the westerners have an unfair advantage in the transfer market.

Joe Schmidt believes Connacht’s capture of former All Black Mils Muliaina will benefit Robbie Henshaw and other young Irish backs already with the province.

Connacht’s first All Black signing, Mils Muliaina, has been part of Pat Lam’s future plans for two years.

Former Australia international David Nucifora has been announced as the Irish Rugby Football Union’s new performance director.

Former Wallaby hooker David Nucifora will finally be unveiled as the IRFU’s new Performance Director tomorrow at a press conference at the Aviva Stadium.

By Peter O’ Dwyer

Richie McCaw: His men can deal with the big occasions.

He has admitted to being tempted into the Ireland role, in part, by the carrot of a less hectic pace of life, so it was ironic yesterday to hear Joe Schmidt talk about being whisked through the suburban traffic of Paris on a motorbike at 140kph.

New Ireland rugby head coach Joe Schmidt has enjoyed getting settled into his new role and is relishing his first set of test games this autumn.

Joe Schmidt’s elevation to the post of Ireland head coach was lost a little in the inevitable hype that surrounds the announcement of a Lions squad last week.

Ulster fullback Jared Payne has signed a new three-year deal with the province that will see him remain at Ravenhill until at least the summer of 2016.

Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final

Pat Lam is ready to translate his previous passion for his native Auckland Blues to the green of Connacht.

Leinster have confirmed there is no ‘Plan B’ in position in the event that Joe Schmidt is diverted from his role with the province and into the national hotseat vacated by Declan Kidney.

Connacht have announced that Pat Lam will replace Eric Elwood as their coach.

Heineken Cup Pool 3: Harlequins V Connacht