Leinster didn’t even need to send out their first team to do this damage — Cullen made 13 changes to the side that hammered Northampton Saints last week in the Champions Cup

The Champions Cup is supposed to be the pinnacle for professional club rugby in Europe.

Stuart Lancaster says Johnny Sexton is “100% committed” to Leinster, as the head coach dismissed speculation linking the out-half with a move to Lyon.

Seven tries last week, another seven tonight.

‘Tis the season for Christmas jumpers, blue Santa hats, and Leinster at the Aviva.

The Leinster out-half suffered a knee injury during last Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup win away to Northampton Saints.

Saracens have named an almost totally different side to face Munster at Allianz Park tomorrow, while the Reds make one change from their 10-3 home win.

There are plenty roads leading to the RDS, the home of Leinster rugby, but few will have taken the route chosen by Sam Matavesi.

One man’s setback appears to be an opportunity for a couple of his team-mates as Johnny Sexton’s likely absence from the start of the Six Nations seems to have opened the door for a pair of Munster stars to take centre-stage with Ireland in the coming weeks.

Robin McBryde was a baby at birth in Bangor...

Jonathan Sexton has been ruled out of Leinster's Heineken Champions Cup meeting with Northampton Saints this weekend but the full extent of his knee injury has yet to be determined.

Sexton damaged the knee in shipping a tackle shortly after half-time and he limped off the field with the help of medical staff

Sometimes it's the words that don't pass a player's lips that stand out.

The four Irish provinces have named their teams for this weekend's Champions Cup clashes.

Leinster have enjoyed some great days at the expense of Northampton Saints but Leo Cullen has learned to approach games against the English club with his eyes open and on full alert.

Leinster should have centre Joe Tomane available for selection once again, as their pool-defining double-header with Northampton Saints approaches in the next fortnight.

Romain Poite will take charge of Saracens' visit to play Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday week as the referees for the back-to-back Champions Cup games were announced.

Stuart Lancaster believes the disappointment felt by Ireland’s World Cup contingent can spur the four provinces to memorable heights in Europe, just as it did their English counterparts four years ago.

Watching Munster on Saturday was both frustrating and exciting. The excitement came in a performance that gave glimpses of the talent and potential that lies in a squad loving life and enjoying its work under the province’s new coaching ticket.

He was part of an impressive collective effort back in his home city for Benetton in the opening round of the Heineken Champions Cup.

The competition in Ulster’s back three means a shiny new three-year contract guarantees Rob Lyttle nothing — but he is more than willing to fight for every chance he can get.

Here's the route Ireland's provinces must navigate to emerge from their Champions Cup pools.

The importance of Munster getting a good start to their Champions Cup campaign was underlined by the release of the pool fixtures this morning.

Munster have been left holding the short straw for next season's Heineken Champions Cup with the two-time champions plunged into the clichéd 'Pool of Death' after Wednesday's draw in Lausanne.

Munster received a tough draw against reigning champions Saracens in next season's Champions Cup pool stages.

Tom Willis’ last-minute try ruined the Ireland Under-20s’ final quarter fightback as England won a titanic play-off 30-23 in awful underfoot conditions in Rosario.

Tom Willis’ last-minute try ruined the Ireland Under-20s’ final quarter fight-back as England won a titanic World Rugby U-20 Championship play-off 30-23 in awful underfoot conditions in Rosario.

Rob Kearney has agreed a “nine-month extension” to his IRFU contract and will play with Leinster next season.

Brendan O'Brien It’s eight years since Leinster faced an ‘away’ league final.

An absorbing Heineken Cup final that lived up to its billing in every way. The Leinster players must have woken up yesterday wondering what hit them.

What Munster Rugby’s latest Hall of Fame inductee would have given to have played more than 100 times for his province.

It’s 10 years now since Felipe Contepomi’s knee crumpled and Jonathan Sexton stepped into the breach for a European knockout fixture in Dublin against an interprovincial rival.

JJ Hanrahan knows there’s an opportunity to stake a claim for a European quarter-final start when Munster face Zebre in Limerick tomorrow night but since a lightbulb moment with Alby Mathewson earlier this season, the fly-half will not waste energy worrying about it.

French referees will take charge of the Irish provinces' Champions and Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Neither Bath nor Leinster have taken a scalpel to their fifteens this week. The weather, that brutal cocktail of wind, rain and cold, will be more of the same. Talk to Leo Cullen, though, and he will tell you that little else stays the same come the second of these back-to-back European encounters.

Peter O’Mahony believes Joey Carbery’s talent and rapid adjustment to life at Munster is helping the young Ireland fly-half quickly get on the same page as his new team-mates.

If Leinster are to reach the Champions Cup final they will have to do so by overcoming one of European rugby’s most durable players.

Cian Healy has warned that the momentum built up by Leinster’s unbeaten run through the Champions Cup stages will count for nothing when they embrace the challenge of reigning champions Saracens in Dublin this Sunday.

In total there are five changes to the side defeated by Scotland at Murrayfield.

Taulupe Faletau will captain Wales and Scarlets flanker James Davies makes his Test debut in Sunday's NatWest 6 Nations clash against Italy in Cardiff.

The calls for England’s skipper to be dropped can continue. Inside the Red Rose’s camp, the Northampton Saints hooker is still the team’s leader.

Swapping high summer in Sydney for the winter cold of the English East Midlands might not seem a palatable prospect, never mind for a job that on face value appears something of a hiding to nothing.

CJ Stander believes Johann van Graan will have headaches finalising his back-row trio for next Sunday’s all-important European Champions Cup game against Racing 92.

JJ Hanrahan is banking on one fly-half’s ‘player welfare programme’ being another’s opportunity when the Munster team to face Ulster in Belfast on Monday is announced tomorrow.