Crusaders flanker Peter Samu has been cleared to debut for the Wallabies against Ireland but that good news is offset by the loss of hooker Jordan Uelese to a knee injury, likely for the rest of the season.

Ronan O’Gara’s Crusaders can consolidate their place on top of the Super Rugby standings when they play the Hamilton-based Chiefs in an abbreviated 16th round, before the tournament breaks for June internationals.

Eddie Jones was the one Australian everyone wanted to hear from after Ireland dispensed with his England side so seamlessly at Twickenham last week, but it would have been interesting to mine the thoughts of his compatriot Michael Cheika, who was among the 82,062 souls looking on from the stands, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Connacht will hope to put PRO14 victories back-to-back for only the second time this season when they battle the heat and demands of the Highveld against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this evening (5.35pm Irish time).

The prospect of an Irish U20s jersey must have seemed a distant dream to a 16-year-old Tom O’Toole, as he looked out the window of Campbell College, in Belfast, on his first night at the school, and thought about the family he had left 10,000 miles behind, in Australia.

Renowned skill acquisition and high-performance coach Richard Shuttleworth has worked with elite coaches worldwide, from Eddie Jones to Mickey Whelan. Of Jones, he notes an ability to make a coach or player ‘bleed’, but then bandage them up. In both Jones and Whelan, he sees coaches who teach through games rather than drills.

Ireland and Lions winger Tommy Bowe faces up to eight weeks out of the game after suffering a shoulder injury when he came on as a replacement in Ulster’s thumping 38-7 defeat by Leinster at the RDS on Saturday evening.

Last August, when Andrew Farley returned to Galway as Grenoble team manager for a pre-season clash with Connacht, he was chuffed to be inducted into the Hall of Fame by the home supporters.

Very few people say no to Michael Cheika, but Kane Douglas did.

Today

With a 4.15pm kick-off on a Sunday afternoon for Racing Metro’s crucial Top 14 derby clash with Stade Francais, I was afforded the opportunity to watch bucket loads of rugby last weekend.

Before looking forward to the inaugural Champions Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday, I feel compelled to examine the implications of an announcement last week that attracted minimal attention on this side of the world.

On another day, Jake Schatz would have been a great story.

Quade Cooper believes Australia must find a new “identity” under Michael Cheika to move on from the Kurtley Beale saga.

Australia have reunited Quade Cooper and Will Genia at half-back for tomorrow’s non-cap international against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Differing contests in so many ways yet equally compelling.

Beyond the work, the pressure and the spotlight, Eanna Falvey enjoyed the ride.

Ireland 15 Australia 32

Ireland 15 Australia 32

Peter O’Mahony has come a long way from his first brush with the Wallabies back in 2010.

The decisive match-ups

At the time, Quade Cooper’s omission from the Wallabies squad that faced the British and Irish Lions was painted as a disaster for the series.

Hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau is fit to return and take a seat on the bench for Australia in their autumn international clash against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

Eoin Reddan could be in line for a recall to the Ireland team to face Australia with head coach Joe Schmidt weighing up whether to relegate Lions scrum-half Conor Murray to the bench for Saturday’s Aviva Stadium Test.

Rob Kearney will not be carrying any baggage from his personal Lions disappointments when he finally gets to face Australia on Saturday.

It’s a brisk but bright November morning in Dublin and Ewen McKenzie is chewing the fat with the Irish media about the need to resurrect his side’s fortunes and the requirement that he do it with a certain panache as well.

Forget the poor reviews that follow the Australian pack whenever they play, Ireland will have to up their game at scrum-time when they lock horns with the Wallabies on Saturday, warns Irish forwards coach John Plumtree.

Australia bounced back from their England defeat to record a 50-20 victory over Italy in their second autumn international at the Stadio Olimpico.

Ulster’s Tommy Bowe has had his fair share of injury troubles over the last 12 months and it was confirmed last night that the Ireland winger will miss the next four to six weeks of the season with a wrist injury that had been undetected at the end of the British and Irish Lions tour Down Under.

Ewen McKenzie has been confirmed as Australia’s new head coach following Robbie Deans’ resignation.

Australian rugby chiefs are to fire national coach Robbie Deans and replace him with Queensland’s Ewen McKenzie following the Wallabies’ series loss to the British and Irish Lions.

Robbie Deans has been sacked as Australia head coach following the Wallabies’ Test series defeat to the British and Irish Lions, according to reports in the Australian press.

Will Genia will cherish a unique moment in his career when Australia and the British and Irish Lions collide in this morning’s series decider at ANZ Stadium.

The teams for Australia versus British and Irish Lions have been decided.

Flanker George Smith has been recalled to the Australia team to face the British and Irish Lions in the third and final Test in Sydney.

Crocked British & Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has backed his players to rise to the challenge of overcoming Australia this weekend and claim a first series victory for the tourists in 16 years.

Tommy Bowe got the big build-up from Warren Gatland and, luckily for the British & Irish Lions, the Monaghan flier feels ready to hit the ground running in tomorrow’s second Test against Australia.

Miracle man Tommy Bowe will complete a remarkable recovery from injury when he lines up for the British and Irish Lions in Saturday’s second Test against Australia.

The British and Irish Lions have named Tommy Bowe, Dan Lydiate and Ben Youngs in their starting XV for Saturday's second Test against Australia at the Etihad Stadium.

Ireland wing Tommy Bowe is leaving nothing to chance ahead of his expected return to the British & Irish Lions matchday squad for Saturday’s second Test against Australia at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium.