Having planned for life beyond rugby for some time now, it is fitting Duncan Casey bade adieu to the sport with three games still to play in his final campaign in professional rugby.

Like many Pacific Islanders in his native Auckland, Edgar’s parents moved there in search of a better life for themselves and their families. This is the case for many players of Pacific heritage who now ply their trade in Europe. While I had played alongside Casey Laulala and Francis Saili at Munster, I was largely ignorant of “Islander” culture and what it entailed.

Bernard Jackman has been sacked as head coach by the Dragons.

Connacht supporters won’t get to see Bordeaux-Begles’s world stars Semi Radradra, Brock James, Seta Tamanivalu, or Jean-Baptiste Serin today, as once again the Challenge Cup has failed to ignite French passions.

There has been some semi-final success for a Munsterman in recent weeks and for hooker Duncan Casey his appearance for Grenoble in tomorrow’s Pro D2 final against Perpignan represents a vindication of his decision not to walk away from the game he loves.

James Hart has held his head commendably high, and never complained, even though he has suffered many frustrations, since he turned his back on a rugby career in France to try his luck back home in Ireland.

If there had been any misgivings in the Irish management think tank about Chris Farrell taking the next big step in his Test career, the Munster centre’s first few minutes of his Six Nations debut will have dispelled them.

It was only last Monday, as Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki ran together as the midfield combination to face Argentina, that Chris Farrell was calculating how long it might take to earn his second Ireland cap.

If you drive up from Spain the first three towns you hit in France along the A9 are three big rugby strongholds … Perpignan, Narbonne and Beziers.

Connacht return to their happiest hunting ground in the league this evening, bidding for their seventh win in 16 visits to Rodney Parade when they take on Dragons.

Leo Cullen is expecting a Dragons side revitalised under new ownership and the guidance of former team-mate Bernard Jackman when Leinster open their Guinness Pro14 campaign at Rodney Parade in Newport this afternoon (3:15pm).

Ronan O’Gara breaks down that Racing 92 match you fortunately missed...

Clemont and Leinster have served up some cracking spectacles when their paths have crossed in Europe.

Scrum-half James Hart will have more than a passing interest in Munster’s clash with Toulouse as the side he will be joining in the summer battles it out in a Champions Cup quarter-final against the side he will face for Racing 92 in two weeks.

Six players from French Top 14 side Grenoble have been detained after a complaint of rape was made to police.

Bernard Jackman said he will leave Grenoble with great memories and experiences after his five-year coaching stint with the French club came to an end yesterday.

Ankle trouble continues to dog bang-in-form Munster flanker Tommy O’Donnell. He looked to be in serious trouble when hobbling off in the New Year’s Eve win over Connacht and so it came as a pleasant surprise when the Tipperary man reported fit for Saturday’s game against Racing 92 and duly performed like a man inspired.

Experienced Munster out-half Ian Keatley says Rassie Erasmus has given them a licence to have a go if they think something is on during a game.

Eight years have elapsed since Munster toppled the mighty Toulouse to be crowned champions of Europe on an emotional evening in Cardiff.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

A famous scene adorns the walls of the ACT Brumbies headquarters in Canberra, depicting the dressing room scenes after their first ever victory over the New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby. At that stage the Brumbies team were full to the brim with players rejected by their big Sydney neighbours and the win not only sparked emotional scenes but also marked a changing of the guard.

Sold out two weeks ago, this final round of the Guinness PRO12 at the Galway Sportsground is unprecedented territory for Connacht.

Connacht 35 Munster 14: This may have been the night when the penny finally dropped.

The Galway Sportsground has played host to many magnificent occasions over the past eight months but they will struggle to match the atmosphere that will be generated for tonight’s Guinness PRO12 clash of Connacht and Munster.

Grenoble 33 Connacht 32: Heartbreaking, but scintillating. Connacht and Grenoble produced an epic European Challenge Cup quarter-final that upped the profile of this second tier European competition and dazzled the 14,876 fans present on Saturday night.