What’s motivating Eddie Jones?

World Rugby’s efforts this week to clarify its position on the proposed Nations Championship are unlikely to have offered much comfort to those for whom the PRO14 is their staple oval-ball fare.

Leinster Rugby chiefs last night issued a hard-hitting statement disputing claims by Bath officials that flags carried by supporters of the province were unsafe.

Keith Earls has spoken of his relief at getting a new contract finalised ahead of schedule in an exciting year for both Munster and Ireland.

There’s still a few days to be crossed off the calendar but we’ll go out on a limb here and suggest that the first September in living memory without a pair of All-Ireland men’s senior finals at its core will come and go without the sky falling in and the very fabric of the GAA having been ripped asunder.

Guinness PRO14 organisers have reached agreement with Sky Sports to bring forward the league final by 30 minutes in order to avoid a clash with the Uefa Champions League final.

It will be Sunday evening before we know for sure which two of the four sides left standing in this season’s Champions Cup got their preparations spot on for the semi-finals, but at this juncture it would be a surprise, notwithstanding they are playing in France, if Munster isn’t one of them.

As Munster’s director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus saw at first hand how to exploit opposition weakness under the high ball and now he believes that is the area he must improve quickest as he takes control of South Africa.

Keith Earls has understood for a while that becoming a family man has helped to relegate rugby down the pecking order of priorities. 

New Munster head coach Johann van Graan has pledged to do everything he can to persuade Peter O'Mahony his future lies in his native province, despite reports linking the club captain with a move away from Ireland.

Leinster flew out for South Africa via Paris last night with forwards coach John Fogarty warning that they will have to roll with the punches off the field long before they step inside the white lines.