For Felipe Contepomi it’s on a par with River Plate v Boca Juniors; for CJ Stander and Johann van Graan a reminder of Bulls versus Stormers games.

Jean Kleyn is convinced Munster can use their European semi-final defeat to Saracens as a springboard to Guinness PRO14 silverware this season.

The possibility of Ronan O'Gara being part of France's backroom team for the 2019 World Cup has increased with French Rugby Federation sources in Paris confirmed the Munster and Ireland legend was "under consideration."

Quinn Roux stands 6’ 6” and tips the scales at close to 20 stone, and yet this is a guy who has something of a knack for hiding in plain sight.

Rassie Erasmus will step down from his role as coach of the Springboks after next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

There was a time when the stinginess of the Scottish Rugby Union knew no bounds, when players were given one pair of socks per year and instructions to hand them back with the rest of the kit at the end of the season, writes Peter Jackson.

Eddie Jones has swatted aside doubt over his future by declaring he is ready to restore England to the summit of the game.

Philip Browne has suggested Munster’s signing of Gerbrandt Grobler was down to a “crying need” for second-row cover, a situation that led the province and the IRFU to ignore the player’s former doping ban.

Munster captain Peter O’Mahony, an injury doubt for Sunday’s Champions Cup clash with Castres, says he and his squad will stand by Gerbrandt Grobler, as the debate continues over the decision to sign a player who served a two-year doping ban.

Munster’s South African lock Jean Kleyn has revealed his desire to represent Ireland at Test level.

Tonga rugby players must be ardently hoping that they never again encounter the conditions prevailing at Thomond Park last night.

Munster props James Cronin and Brian Scott, Connacht second-row Quinn Roux and Leinster’s Jordi Murphy make their first starts in the famous colours of the Barbarians who face Tonga at Thomond Park tonight (7.30pm).

Munster have been rocked by the loss of Jaco Taute for virtually the rest of the season after the South African Test centre underwent knee surgery yesterday.

Rassie Erasmus has endorsed potential Munster successor Dave Wessels as “one of the good fits” to replace him as director of rugby.

Australia-based South African Dave Wessels is being strongly touted as a potential replacement for Rassie Erasmus at Munster.

Australia-based South African Dave Wessels is being strongly touted as a potential replacement for Rassie Erasmus at Munster.

After seven months on the sidelines, Jean Kleyn had more reason than most to celebrate the start of the new season and the lock could not have wished for a better re- introduction to the Munster jersey.

You get the impression from listening to Jaco Taute that the night before Munster meet Toulouse he might well be like an excited eight-year-old on Christmas Eve.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

Rassie Erasmus struck gold when he captured Jaco Taute on a short-term loan from the Stormers, but is it too much to expect Jean Deysel to make a similar impact during his limited time at Munster?

Wales forward Ross Moriarty has described his barnstorming performance against England as “the best game I have played.”

Many might feel intimidated facing a 6 ft 8 inch, 18-stone South African boasting a thick black beard and sporting a black eye.

Munster appear to be moving closer to tying down Springbok centre Jaco Taute for the rest of the season with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus suggesting an extension to his loan deal was a matter of “crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s”.

Munster management will wait until after Saturday’s Champions Cup showdown at Leicester before deciding whether to press for an extension of Jaco Taute’s contract.

Rassie Erasmus believes keeping Springbok centre Jaco Taute at Munster beyond his short-term contract could be a possibility.

Australia have beaten Scotland 23-22 in their international match at Murrayfield.

Simon Lewis compares the sides ahead of Sunday’s Champions Cup opener.

Witnessing Rassie Erasmus’s reaction to defeat last Friday night was as instructive as it was surprising.

Against all the odds, the Rassie Erasmus era began with a morale-boosting 23-13 victory for Munster over a much-fancied Scarlets side in West Wales.

Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus still has more questions than answers surrounding the make-up and fitness of his squad as he attempts to prepare his players for Saturday’s Guinness Pro12 opener at Scarlets.

Reports Springbok centre Jaco Taute is on the brink of joining Munster on a short-term contract appear premature with the province waiting for Stormers to give the the go-ahead.