Captain Charlie Ryan praised the collective efforts of his Ireland Under-20 side as they repeated their Six Nations heroics with a brilliant 42-26 bonus point win over England on the opening day of the World Rugby U-20 Championship in Santa Fe.

Ulster loosehead Kyle McCall is like any prop: he wants to scrummage, and scrummage his opposite number off the park. 

Hooker Duncan Casey returns from a lengthy lay-off and starts Munster A’s clash with Ulster Ravens today in Naas (3pm).

Ulster head coach Neil Doak has decided that though a win in Glasgow this afternoon is both possible and rich with reward, he’ll put the Top Four play-offs at the top of his list of priorities.

Irish rugby was relatively slow to cotton onto the benefits accrued from assimilating players with southern hemisphere backgrounds into the national team, but that process has belatedly taken hold in recent years.

Ulster winger Andrew Trimble has signed a new national contract with the IRFU which will see him remain at Ravenhill until at least the summer of 2015.

Mark McCrea has been released early from his two-year contract with Connacht, moving to Jersey RFC for the remainder of the season and next year.

RaboDirect PRO12: Ulster v Ospreys

Ulster Head Coach, Mark Anscombe, has made four personnel and two positional changes to the side that lost to Northampton Saints for tomorrow night’s match against Leinster at Ravenhill.

Ulster Rugby have secured the services of Craig Gilroy until the summer of 2016 with the winger today signing a three-year contract extension.

Half-backs Michael Heaney and Niall O’Connor have been included in the starting line up for Ulster’s RaboDirect PRO12 showdown with Zebre at the Stadio XXV Aprile on Sunday (2pm Irish time).

The world is a cruel place.

The IRFU made no response yesterday following London Irish head coach Brian Smith’s assertion that they “hung out to dry” his new signing Tomás O’Leary.

Had Ulster won, it would have been a storyline squeezed for space by its subplots.

The only way is down for incoming Ulster head coach Mark Anscombe following the success enjoyed under predecessor Brian McLaughlin, says former Ulster and Ireland wing Tyrone Howe.

Brian McLauhglin has today emphasised his continued commitment to Ulster Rugby following yesterday’s announcement that he is to step down as Head Coach at the end of the season to take up a senior coaching position with the Ulster Academy.

Brian McLaughlin looked on with dejection written all over his face as he listened to David Humphreys explain why he is being ushered out as Ulster’s head coach at the end of the season.

Ulster Rugby have confirmed that Brian McLaughlin will step down as Head Coach at the end of the season.

The New Year has brought a bonus for Ulster Rugby supporters with the news that scrum-halves Ruan Pienaar and Paul Marshall have each signed new two-year contracts, keeping them at the club until June 2014.

ULSTER’S burgeoning teenager Paddy Jackson could make a shock Magners League debut against the Scarlets in Llanelli this evening.

Connacht Rugby have today announced the signings of Ulster duo Niall O’Connor and Mark McCrea along with the re-signing of former Connacht favourite George Naoupu from Japan for next season.

Ulster Rugby today confirmed that David Pollock has decided to retire from rugby due to a hip injury which has plagued the back row forward for the past 18 months.

Number eight Chris Henry has made a clean sweep of the Ulster Rugby Awards, winning the Magners Personality of the Year, the Magners League Rugby Writers' Player of the Year award and the Ulster Rugby Supporters Club Outstanding Player of the Season award.

ULSTER scrum-half Paul Marshall has been handed a two-year contract extension to his contract ahead of tonight’s Magners League derby finale against Connacht at Ravenhill (7.30pm).

Ulster Academy prop Paddy McAllister is making a big impression for Ballynahinch as they prepare for their AIB League Division 1B tussle with Dungannon tomorrow.

Connacht have raided English clubs Cornish Pirates and Otley for Brian Tuohy and Mike McComish, respectively, as part of the ongoing work to improve on their last place finish in the Magner's League last season.

Ulster coach Matt Williams is giving many of the Ulster Academy graduates, such as Ian Whitten and Chris Henry, a chance to show their worth in the Magners League against Connacht at The Sportsground on Friday evening.

MUNSTER’S preparations for the historic 30th anniversary clash with New Zealand have been upset following the cancellation of a warm-up game in London last night.

Thomas Anderson, the son of legend Willie, has been included in the Ulster side to take on Irish rivals Munster at Ravenhill on Saturday night (7.35pm).

JEREMY MANNING’S late penalty helped Cork Constitution record their fifth consecutive win in Division One of the AIB League after an 18-16 victory away to Ballymena.

EVEN GUEST speaker Alex Ferguson couldn’t help but smile when James Sandford stood alongside him in the Mansion House yesterday, remarking with a smile that the 6ft 5 inch UUJ student “might do a job” for him in the centre of the Manchester United defence!

STEPHEN FERRIS is looking forward to some international game time at Ravenhill for the first time on Friday night.

Former Ireland Under-21 wing Paul McKenzie has signed a new two year contract which will keep him at Ravenhill until the end of the 2008-09 season.

Ulster coach Mark McCall has made eight changes to his side for the visit of The Borders to Ravenhill.

MICK O’DRISCOLL has paid the price for a lack of game time with Munster by being omitted from Eddie O’Sullivan’s 32-man Ireland squad for the forthcoming internationals against South Africa, Australia and the Pacific Islands.

Ulster Rugby has confirmed that hooker Rory Best has signed to the province for another two years and Ireland Under-21 scrum-half Paul Marshall has accepted a one year full-time contract.