Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has seen Michael Cheika make his mark on teams in Dublin, Paris and Sydney, and the one constant he expects to have been passed on to the Wallabies by their new boss is a collective work ethic.

Equestrian facilities are to be developed at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, Dublin, Horse Sport Ireland has confirmed.

CONNACHT may be making their Heineken Cup debut tonight against Harlequins at the Stoop, 100 games into their European experience, but for the province’s chief executive this is not the apex of western rugby ambition but the seed for a brighter a future.

ULSTER were dealt a major blow ahead of this afternoon’s must-win Heineken Cup trip to Bath, barnstorming flanker Stephen Ferris pulling out with a leg injury.

A STUDY published this week says there is an “urgent need” for a separate studbook for Irish eventing horses as it highlights “a number of unfavourable conformation traits”.

Mathieu Bastareaud has been left out of France’s squad for their upcoming internationals against Fiji, Argentina and Australia.

Pumas playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez, arguably the best player in the world, will start at fly-half for Stade Francais against Ulster in the Heineken Cup at Ravenhill tomorrow.

Harlequins 10 Stade Francais 31