Bristol Shoguns have appointed Matt Salter club captain for the second successive season with head coach Richard Hill hailing the number eight’s “inspirational” leadership.

Andrew Baldock

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

England World Cup winner Mark Regan was tonight fined £500 (€726.40) for bringing the game into disrepute.

Gloucester 0 Stade Francais 27

London Irish 21 Northampton 22

EUROPEAN champions Wasps last night revealed a sense of “deep embarrassment” over their humiliating Powergen Cup exit which has sent shockwaves through English rugby.

European champions Wasps were on Thursday kicked out of the Powergen Cup for fielding an ineligible player in their sixth round victory over Bristol Shoguns last weekend.

England sevens skipper Simon Amor has made a rapid recovery from ankle trouble and will line up in Gloucester’s final pre-season friendly against Italian side Calvisano tomorrow.

Wales full-back Gareth Thomas will complete his move to two-time European champions Toulouse tomorrow morning.

Bristol have rejected a buy-out bid from a consortium based in South Africa who were believed to want to relocate the franchise for the Division One club to London.

London Irish have announced four new signings by the club, including a Scottish international.

Scrum-half Ross Blake will leave Bath at the end of this season to join neighbouring Bristol Shoguns.

ENGLAND will meet the Six Nations’ ‘form side’ in tonight’s U21 international against Ireland at Kingsholm.

There were wins for Fiji, Italy and Samoa in the Rugby World Cup today.

Samoa 60 Uruguay 13

FOUR of Ireland’s front-line players - Keith Wood, Brian O’Driscoll, Anthony Foley and Shane Horgan - are to make a return to the international arena against Wales on Saturday next at Lansdowne Road.

Wales coach Steve Hansen tonight told his players that World Cup places are up for grabs after selecting the side to face warm-up opponents Ireland in Dublin tomorrow week.

Bristol Shoguns have signed Wales Under-21 half-back Michael Hook from Newport.

Wasps have made a double signing today, taking on Ian Clarke from Leeds and Peter Richards from Bristol Shoguns.

Bristol Shoguns scrum-half Agustin Pichot has spoken to Stade Francais about a possible move away from the Memorial Stadium following the club’s relegation from the Zurich Premiership.

Matt Perry believes Parker Pen Challenge Cup success would be a fitting tribute to Bath’s fighting qualities this season.

ENGLAND will field five international rookies in next Sunday’s non-cap fixture against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

England will field five international rookies in next Sunday’s non-cap fixture against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

Leicester are set to announce their latest high-profile signing today – former New Zealand All Blacks centre Daryl Gibson.

Mark Mapletoft was the star of the relegation show as he inspired Conor O'Shea's London Irish to a victory which preserved their Zurich Premiership status and left trouble torn Bristol Shoguns on the bottom of the table.

LONDON IRISH boss Conor O’Shea fired a clear message to the Exiles’ Zurich Premiership relegation rivals by declaring: “It’s in our hands now.”

Former England full-back Matt Perry looks likely to miss Bath’s crunch Zurich Premiership clash against fellow relegation candidates Bristol Shoguns on Sunday.

LONDON IRISH player-coach Brendan Venter looks certain to have played his last game for the Zurich Premiership strugglers.

Flanker James Cockle has joined London Irish’s injury list and will miss the Zurich Premiership home game against Leeds on Sunday.

Harlequins boss Mark Evans sends his team into a crunch Zurich Premiership clash against fellow strugglers London Irish tomorrow, admitting: “Every game and every result is important”.

Scotland have named their squad to face England in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at Twickenham on Saturday, March 22.

England will field a much-changed team for tomorrow night’s under-21 international against Italy at Newbury following their 35-9 defeat in Wales a fortnight ago.

Andy Gomarsall and Phil Christophers, who both made substitute appearances for England against Wales 10 days ago, will be on A team duty later this week.

Scotland captain Bryan Redpath insists there are no fiercer critics than the players themselves after two successive RBS 6 Nations defeats at the hands of Ireland and France.

England boss Clive Woodward will keep his fingers crossed this week that a punishing programme of domestic league and cup action does not hamper his RBS 6 Nations title hopes.

CLIVE WOODWARD has vowed to take no notice of the Six Nations form guide, which suggests tournament favourites England will give Wales a Millennium Stadium mauling on Saturday.

Kyran Bracken has been handed a shock recall to the England side for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Wales in Cardiff.

ENGLAND boss Clive Woodward last night revealed a fascinating glimpse into his World Cup thinking by selecting flyhalf rivals Jonny Wilkinson and Charlie Hodgson in the same team for next Saturday’s showdown with France.

England forwards Lawrence Dallaglio and Julian White look certain to miss national squad training today after picking up injuries during the latest round of Zurich Premiership action.

London Irish believe Powergen Cup quarter-final opponents Rotherham will be “out to prove a point” in tomorrow’s clash at the Madejski Stadium.

London Irish will treat Powergen Cup quarter-final opponents Rotherham with the same respect as they afforded French aristocrats Toulouse last weekend.

London Wasps wing Kenny Logan has been handed the chance to reclaim a Scotland international jersey after being named in a 50-strong RBS Six Nations Championship training squad for senior and A teams.