Saracens will be visiting clubs such as Ealing Trailfinders, Ampthill, and Hartpury RFC in the Green King IPA Championship next season, writes Donal Lenihan.

Peter Jackson gets over the gain line, behind the headline

Exeter have revealed receipt of a £350,000 share following the £5.36million fine imposed on Gallagher Premiership rivals Saracens for breaching salary cap regulations.

Rory Scannell has seen the foundations of a more adventurous Munster attack being laid under the guidance of Stephen Larkham.

Munster have reached one objective in this Heineken Champions Cup campaign by beating Saracens for the first time in five years last Saturday.

This weekend’s test will have to be negotiated without two fly-halves and a trio of front-rowers.

Saracens are set to bring their big guns back for the return match with Munster next weekend after leaving Limerick with a losing bonus point.

There’s an old saying that a pessimist complains about the wind, an optimist expects it to change but a realist will adjust the sails to suit the conditions.

Johann van Graan admitted Saracens’ losing bonus point at Thomond Park could be crucial in the final shake-up in Munster’s European pool campaign.

Ask any Munster supporter their thoughts on the Saracens personnel coming to Thomond Park this evening and they will take the matchday squad named by Mark McCall yesterday in a heartbeat. Ask the Munster coaching group the same question and they will not be taking anything for granted.

Love them or loathe them, Saracens have played a big part in Munster’s celebrated European journey.

At the risk of redefining the delusional practice of clutching at straws, perhaps there is something to be said after all for making an early exit from the World Cup.

Mark McCall’s public confession that Saracens may have to sacrifice the Champions’ Cup in order to preserve their domestic status will have fallen on stony ground all over Europe.

There was something cathartic about the way Japan hosted the Rugby World Cup. It made you feel good about the sport. The interaction of fans from all over the world, without rancour or fear, the manner with which visitors to the country were welcomed and embraced, the dignity around the tragic fallout from Typhoon Hagibis.

Connacht coach Andy Friend is hopeful of Bundee Aki committing his future at the Sportsground as he continues to build his squad.

Saracens could face another punishment after failing to send any representatives to the Heineken Champions Cup launch.

English and European champions Saracens have been docked 35 points and fined more than £5m, pending appeal, over breaches of salary cap rules.

This is a contest fit for the final itself with the winner fancied to go all the way.

Fit-again Mako Vunipola is approaching the best shape of his career — but try telling that to the lady who had to wheel the 122kg prop through Los Angeles airport back in June.

As British parliamentarians are proving with almost daily inefficiency, leaving Europe can be complicated but as far as Stuart Hogg is concerned, the swift and summary elimination of Glasgow Warriors earlier this season has been the best thing that could have happened to his club.

Defeats make doubters of us all.

It would be lazy to dismiss Leinster as just another PRO14 casualty of the Saracens juggernaut.

Steffan Thomas rates the players of both sides of the Heinken Champions Cup final.

Leinster’s bid for a record fifth European crown came up short at St James’ Park on Saturday as Saracens reclaimed the Heineken Champions Cup for their third title in four seasons.

Alex Goode feels he is the victim of a witch hunt at Saracens as the club’s all-for-one, one-for-all attitude goes out of the window when it comes to the squad’s fantasy football league.

Tadhg Furlong might not have done Leinster any favours when he opened Mako Vunipola’s eyes to what it takes to be a true, world-class prop, on the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.

There was a time early on in his career when it was almost mandatory to precede Robbie Henshaw’s name with the phrase ‘former Westmeath minor footballer’ given his three Leinster Championship appearances for the county.

Stuart Lancaster needs no introduction to the dangers Leinster will be facing when they go toe-to-toe with Saracens in Saturday’s heavyweight Heineken Champions Cup final.

More often than not, it is a pleasurable homecoming that greets John Ryan on his return from a road trip.

Munster’s acceptance they were outgunned by Saracens last weekend was an admission of the gulf in class between Johann van Graan’s side and Europe’s elite. But the province is still intent on ruling the roost closer to home.

Connacht and Ireland player Bundee Aki has taken to Instagram to address "mistakenly" liking the controversial post by Israel Folau.

Simon Lewis There is only so much credit you can give the winning team before turning the page and focusing on becoming the better team yourself.

Simon Lewis Munster Rugby has pledged to further investigate an incident at the end of their Champions Cup semi-final at the Ricoh Arena when a supporter appeared to confront Saracens player Billy Vunipola on the field.

In a statement, European Professional Club Rugby said: “EPCR does not condone the entry of a spectator to the field of play.

Saracens continued their recent dominance of Munster as they subjected the Irish province to another mauling and consigned the Reds to a third straight European semi-final defeat.

Ever get that feeling that the stars are aligning for some special purpose?

Owen Farrell might have been a leading candidate for a few sleepless nights recently but he is determined not to lose out on his eight hours of shut-eye over the challenge facing Saracens this afternoon

Fiji — Whatever about the rugby insights in these Irish Examiner columns, you’ve got to award me points for some of the datelines; Fiji being the latest this week.

Ahead of Saturday's eagerly awaited Heineken Champions Cup semi-final clash between Munster and Saracens we look back at previous titanic clashes between these two old rivals.

Saracens captain Brad Barritt has rejected claims his side will be intimidated by Munster’s travelling army of fans when the teams meet in Saturday’s Champions Cup semi-final in Coventry.

Gordon D’Arcy feels the controversy swirling around Billy Vunipola will be an exacting test of the culture that exists in the Saracens dressing room — and that Saturday’s European clash with Munster will deliver the results.

This time 12 months ago, Munster and Leinster felt bulletproof as they approached their respective Champions Cup semi-final deciders against Racing 92 and Scarlets, with both squads densely fortified with players from Ireland’s all-conquering Grand Slam team.

Saracens captain Brad Barritt is facing a race against time to be fit for the Champions Cup semi-final against Munster on April 20.