DECLAN KIDNEY has called an end to his Ireland squad-building in time to test the quality of his player pool in the upcoming RBS 6 Nations Championship.

IRELAND’S growing injury list has claimed Jamie Heaslip, Shane Horgan and John Hayes, all of whom have become the latest players to be ruled out of the Six Nations opener in Italy in eight days.

RISING coaching stars Eric Elwood and Anthony Foley have been given the reins of the Ireland Wolfhounds team for two A internationals in the new year.

Eric Elwood and Anthony Foley will take the reins of the Ireland Wolfhounds for the forthcoming games against Scotland A and England Saxons early next year, it was announced today.

Uncapped Northampton centre Joe Ansbro will replace the injured Max Evans in Scotland’s team to meet South Africa in the second autumn Test at Murrayfield tomorrow.

AWARDS: Chris Henry has scooped three top awards at the annual Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony.

Nathan Hines and Alasdair Strokosch today handed Scotland a much-needed fitness boost ahead of next Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations game in Italy.

Cian Healy bristles at criticism of Ireland’s scrum and is eager to establish his own reputation by routing Martin Castrogiovanni at Croke Park on Saturday.

Ulster’s Chris Henry will lead the newly named Ireland Wolfhounds into battle with Scotland A on his home ground this Friday at 7.30pm in Ravenhill.

WE’RE spoiled. After the drama and excitement of the race to reach the last eight of the Heineken Cup, we now have a Six Nations championship to nourish our insatiable appetite for top class rugby.

Marcus Horan and Rory Best are included in an all-Test front row for Ireland A’s clash with England Saxons in Bath on Sunday.

Scotland today recalled Dan Parks and named uncapped Glasgow team-mates Ruaridh Jackson and Richie Gray in their squad for the RBS 6 Nations games against France and Wales.

THE Munster squad, minus its senior internationals, yesterday flew out to Lanzarote for a week-long warm-weather training camp.

Scotland A coach Andy Robinson has named six Glasgow Warriors and five Edinburgh players in his side to face Ireland A at the RDS on Friday night (7.30pm).

The Ireland A team to play Scotland A this Friday night in the RDS shows two changes to the squad that was due to play England Saxons in the recently cancelled game.

MUNSTER fly-half Ronan O’Gara was last night named Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year.

Former Ireland forwards coach Niall O'Donovan has been appointed as assistant coach of the Ireland A side, working with head coach Michael Bradley and manager Joey Miles.

Glasgow Warriors prop Moray Low has been forced out of Scotland’s squad for the two-Test trip to Argentina next month.

Eddie O’Sullivan claims Ireland’s planning is being hindered by the influx of overseas players into the provincial system.

Ulster wing Tommy Bowe and Munster second row Mick O'Driscoll are the two changes to the starting XV named by Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan in the Ireland team to play Scotland in the RBS Six Nations Championship in Croke Park this Saturday.

Ireland A coach Michael Bradley has made three changes for Saturday’s clash with Scotland A in the plate final of the Barclays Churchill Cup.

IRELAND A coach Michael Bradley has warned England A they must be ruthless if they are to have any hope of toppling the New Zealand Maori in Saturday’s Churchill Cup final.

Ireland A coach Michael Bradley has warned England A they must be ruthless if they are to have any hope of toppling the New Zealand Maori in Saturday’s Churchill Cup final.

Simon Webster has been ruled out of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash between Scotland and Italy because of an ankle injury.

Leicester openside Shane Jennings will captain an Ireland A squad containing only four full internationals at next month’s Churchill Cup.

Bath prop David Barnes has been appointed tour captain of the newly-named England Saxons in this season’s Barclays Churchill Cup competition.

IRELAND A will take a squad of 28 players to Canada and the US for next year’s Churchill Cup.

Scotland A and Ireland A are back level-pegging at 19-19 after 60 minutes of their Six Nations clash.

Scotland A and Ireland A are level at 5-5 with 20 minutes gone in their Six Nations clash.

Connacht winger Ted Robinson has been forced to drop out of the Ireland A squad to play Scotland A at Bridgehaugh in Stirling on Saturday because of an aggravated hamstring injury.

Scotland A squad to play Ireland A at Bridgehaugh, Stirling, on Saturday February 15 (kick-off 7.30pm):

London Wasps wing Kenny Logan has been handed the chance to reclaim a Scotland international jersey after being named in a 50-strong RBS Six Nations Championship training squad for senior and A teams.

Edinburgh Gunners wing Chris Paterson will be fit for the Celtic League quarter-final against Cardiff on Saturday.

Ulster's Tyrone Howe and Munster's Mike Mullins have been named in the Ireland A squad to face Scotland A at Ravenhill on Friday, March 1.

Geordan Murphy, Rob Henderson and Keith Wood have all been left out of the Ireland rugby squad due to injury for the Six Nations game against Scotland on Saturday week.

Phil Vickery is likely to miss England's opening Six Nations matches against Scotland and Ireland.

Three players have been called into the Scotland A squad for their Six Nations meeting with Wales A in Edinburgh on Friday (7pm).

Scotland have been forced to make one change to their squad for the Six Nations Championship match with Wales at Murrayfield.