Chris Farrell did not need his arm twisted when the chance to move back from France to Ireland was presented to him in the form of a contract offer from Munster.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

“Once the scrum goes unopposed it’s like a game of rugby league. I’m an old fashioned boy from the Welsh coal-mining towns so the scrum was the platform and that differentiated the game more than anything. I would like to see a directive that you’d have two specialist props and a hooker on the bench.”

Yorkshire Carnegie 43 Munster A 29: Munster A’s valiant second-half fightback was all in vain as relieved Yorkshire Carnegie eventually claimed victory to all but seal Pool Three’s top spot in the British & Irish Cup.

Test rivals Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter are already plotting behind the scenes to pull off their “ultimate goal” of forming a New Zealand coaching dream team, according to Paul Tupai.

England 42 Ireland 15

There will be a hint of the GAA on show tonight at Castle Avenue when Clontarf host the world-famous Barbarians in a rugby game commemorating the Battle of Clontarf.

Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony is targeting improvements in this weekend’s clash with Canada.after beating the United States by just three points last time out.

British & Irish Cup semi-final

At the third time of asking, Ireland finally triumphed over arch-rivals England in the Junior World Cup in Cape Town yesterday, a victory that puts them into a final play-off for fifth place against France later this week.

MUNSTER manager Shaun Payne has backed the province to bounce back from their Heineken Cup elimination in Sunday’s crucial Magners League clash with the Blues at Cardiff City Stadium.

HAVING defeated Ulster twice this season in the A Interprovincial Championship, Munster will be fancied to complete the hat-trick as they take on the Ravens in the semi-final of the inaugural British & Irish Cup at Thomond Park this afternoon.

MUNSTER A will set down in another temporary home at Nenagh tonight (7.30pm) for the second of their British and Irish Cup assignments against top English side Bristol.

Ireland A lock Dan Tuohy has been released to play for Ulster Ravens away to Moseley in the B&I Cup on Friday (7.30pm).

Ulster Ravens coach Neil Doak has named a 25-man squad for the province's opening British & Irish Cup clash with the Bedford Blues at Ravenhill on Friday (kick-off 7.30pm).

The inaugural British & Irish Cup will get underway on the weekend of Saturday, November 21.

Coach Kieran Crowley has named an experienced team to play Ireland in Saturday’s Test Match in Vancouver.

Canada coach Kieran Crowley has warned Ireland to expect a stern physical challenge in tomorrow’s opening autumn Test.

MUNSTER fly-half Ronan O’Gara was last night named Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year.

Ireland 42 Argentina 20

Argentina U21 20 Ireland U21 42

Coach Mark McDermott has made three changes to the Ireland U21 team from the side played Argentina last week for the repeat encounter in the IRB U-21 World Championship tomorrow.

Ireland U21 22 Argentina U21 26

There are four changes to the Ireland U21 team for their next IRB U21 Rugby World Championship encounter with Argentina following their defeat by the hosts, France, on Friday.

THE Ireland U21 team to play hosts France on the opening day of the 2006 IRB U21 World Championship shows six changes to the side that lost 40-5 to England U21 in March in the final game of the U21 6 Nations tournament.

The Ireland Under-21 team to play hosts France on the opening day of the 2006 IRB U-21 World Championship has been announced.

IRISH coach Mark McDermott yesterday announced his squad for next month’s IRB U21 World Cup in Auvergne, France.

Coach Mark McDermott will lead his Ireland U21 squad into battle at the World Cup in France next month.

Ireland Under 21 coach Mark McDermott has named a squad of 24 players for the opening Six Nations match against Italy in Dubarry Park, Athlone on Friday, February 3 at 7.35pm.

The following 31 players have been selected for the next Ireland Under 21 squad session which will take place in Dublin on Sunday, January 15 – Tuesday, January 17 2006.

Bedford Blues chairman Geoff Irvine has slammed a decision to postpone the club’s opening National League One game against Rotherham.