The Ireland coaching staff has named a 38 player squad for the first two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

The Ireland coaching staff has today named an extended squad of 46 players for the upcoming RBS 6 Nations matches against Italy and France, as well as the Ireland Wolfhounds fixture against the England Saxons.

The IRFU stuck to their guns last night — as expected — by naming number ten Jonathan Sexton in Joe Schmidt’s extended squad ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations meeting with Italy in Dublin.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has named Munster's Simon Zebo in his 33-man Ireland squad.

Ireland second row Paul O'Connell has been ruled out of the upcoming tour to New Zealand.

Matt Stevens’ return from the ignominy of a drugs ban continued today when he was confirmed in England’s 45-man Rugby World Cup training squad.

Louis Deacon has been recalled to the England squad for the RBS 6 Nations as a replacement for banned Gloucester lock Dave Attwood.

Ireland international Luke Fitzgerald returns to the Leinster squad for the first time since last November for their pre-season warm-up against London Wasps on Friday at Donnybrook (KO: 7pm).

The Ireland Women’s squad for the forthcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup in England has been named today.

For the time being, coach Michael Cheika has listed injury concerns Jonathan Sexton, Robert Kearney and Girvan Dempsey in his Leinster squad to face Toulouse in Saturday's Heineken Cup semi -final in Le Stadium, Toulouse.

Rory Best returns from a back injury to take his place in the Ulster 26 man squad to face Edinburgh this Sunday, at Murrayfield, in the Magners League.

BACKS to the wall, UL Bohemian produced a sensational AIB League victory over Garryowen at Dooradoyle on Saturday to keep the dream of Division 1A survival alive.

Ireland internationals Leo Cullen, Shane Jennings, Rob Kearney, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton return from Six Nations duty to join the extended Leinster panel for the visit of Connacht to the RDS on Saturday.

Stephen Ferris is back in the Ulster squad for their Magner’s League tie away to Cardiff Blues on Friday night.

Ireland internationals Shane Jennings and Eoin Reddan retun to the Leinster squad to play the Cardiff Blues in Sunday's Magners League at Cardiff City Stadium (KO: 4pm).

Ireland internationals Andrew Trimble and Paddy Wallace return to prepare with an extended Ulster squad for the Magner’s League clash with The Scarlets at Parc Y Scarlets on Frdiay evening.

BACKS coach Alan Gaffney is hoping Ireland can claim what would be a rare win in Paris in style after last weekend’s stuttering start to the defence of the Six Nations title.

Ireland loose-head Marcus Horan has been included in an extended 28-man Munster squad as they prepare for Friday night’s Heineken Cup encounter with Northampton Saints at Thomond Park.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika has no injury concerns ahead of their Heineken Cup showdown with London Irish on Saturday in Twickenham (kick off: 6pm).

CJ van der Linde, an injury concern, has been included in the Leinster squad to face Brive in Saturday's Heineken Cup Round 5 clash at the RDS.

Prop Stan Wright returns to an extended Leinster squad ahead of the Heineken Cup encounter with The Scarlets at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday.

Girvan Dempsey has been added to the Leinster squad to face the Cornish Pirates in Friday's British & Irish Cup clash at Donnybrook (KO: 4pm).

The previously rested Leo Cullen, Cian Healy, Shane Horgan and Eoin Reddan return to the extended Leinster squad to face the Cardiff Blues in Saturday's Magners League clash at the RDS (KO: 6.30pm).

CJ Van der Linde could be in line for his first start for Leinster this season against Ulster in Saturday's Magners League clash at Ravenhill (KO: 6pm).

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll will join the Leinster squad for the first time this season for the crunch Magner's League encounter with Munster in Saturday's sell out at The RDS.

Full-back Girvan Dempsey returns to the Leinster squad to play The Ospreys in Friday night's Magners League clash at the Liberty Stadium (KO: 7.05pm).

British & Irish Lions Gordon D'Arcy and Nathan Hines are included in the Leinster squad to play the Dragons in Saturday's Magners League clash at the RDS (KO: 7pm).

Captain Leo Cullen will lead Leinster into their opening match of the Magners League against Scarlets in Parc y Scarlets on Saturday (KO: 6.30pm).

Rob Kearney, a victim of the mumps, returns to the Leinster squad to face The Scarlets in Friday night's Magners League clash at The RDS (kick off: 7.45pm).

Leinster coach Michael Cheika has taken the decisoin to rest most of his frontline players for Friday night's Magners League clash against Edinburgh at Murrayfield (7.45pm).

Ulster coach Matt Williams has included Niall O'Connor and Mark McCrea in an extended 24-man squad for Friday's Magners League match against Ospreys at Ravenhill.

Ireland have named a 36-man preliminary squad for the AIB Club International against England on Friday, February 27.

Rocky Elsom and CJ van der Linde have been included in an extended Leinster squad to play Munster in Sunday's sell-out Magners League clash at the RDS (KO: 7pm).

Captain Leo Cullen has been named in the Leinster squad, for the first time this season, to play The Ospreys in the Magners League clash at The RDS on Friday night (kick off: 7.35pm).

Leinster coach Michael Chieka will want his players at or near their best before a reputed 12,000 crowd against Edinburgh in Friday's Magners League clash at The RDS.

Leinster have announced their senior squad for the coming season.

The Irish women's rugby team have travelled to Amsterdam to compete in the upcoming FIRA European Women’s Championship.

London Irish captain Bob Casey has been named captain of the Ireland A team for the upcoming Churchill Cup to take place in Canada and the USA in June.

Coach Matt Williams has paved the way for David Humphreys to make a glorious exit from rugby by naming him in the Ulster squad to play Cardiff Blues at Ravenhill on Friday.

Leinster will look to end the season on a high by naming a strong squad to tackle The Dragons on Friday night in the Magners League clash at Rodney Parade (KO: 7.10pm).

Captain Brian O'Driscoll is part of the Leinster squad that will look to make the Magner's League a mathematical certainty against Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Friday night.

Malcolm O'Kelly should become the most capped player in Leinster history if he wins his 140th cap against the Llanelli Scarlets in the Magners League at Stradey Park on Saturday (KO: 5.30pm).

Ireland winger Shane Horgan has been included in the Leinster squad for Saturday's Magners League clash with Cardiff.

Ireland will take on Scotland in the AIB Club International game in Donnybrook on Friday, February 22. Kick off is at 7.35pm.