New Zealand’s Canterbury Crusaders are targeting Ronan O’Gara for a sensational move to Super Rugby next season.

Munster’s search for a new director of rugby has taken another twist after present incumbent Rassie Erasmus cast doubts on the province’s chances of getting their reported top target.

Munster’s search for a new director of rugby has taken another twist after present incumbent Rassie Erasmus cast doubts on the province’s chances of getting their reported top target.

Munster are said to be ready to appoint former Western Force head coach David Wessels as Rassie Erasmus' successor.

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.

The complications involved in travelling to South Africa so early in the upcoming PRO14 season are already evident for Leinster coach Leo Cullen.

Ulster’s coaching team are only too well aware that they will need to improve their overall game if they are to get their Champions Cup venture off to a winning start at Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday.

“Once the scrum goes unopposed it’s like a game of rugby league. I’m an old fashioned boy from the Welsh coal-mining towns so the scrum was the platform and that differentiated the game more than anything. I would like to see a directive that you’d have two specialist props and a hooker on the bench.”

Tony McGahan says Paul O’Connell is always striving to improve his own game and his team-mates.

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

Leicester have signed New Zealand World Cup winner Brad Thorn.

Coach Ewen McKenzie knows Australia must take risks if they are to end New Zealand’s 17-game winning streak on Saturday, and hopes the surprise selection of Kurtley Beale at fly-half will provide the spark in their Rugby Championship clash in Sydney.

Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles has "defied science and logic" to be selected to make his Test debut for Australia against France this weekend.

There were a few remarkable things about the Western Force’s 31-29 Super Rugby victory over the Highlanders on Saturday, most notably wing Nick Cummins’ hilarious post-match interview.

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.

Ireland scrum-half Eoin Reddan will play his first game since his horrific leg break against France in the Six Nations when Leinster take on Northampton tomorrow.

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.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR:

Rob Kearney has thanked the British and Irish Lions coaching staff for sticking with him during his fightback from injury.

Four games in and despite the fact that three of the Lions’ ‘contests’ had nothing like the competitiveness Warren Gatland is craving, his test side is beginning to take shape in Australia.

Combined 0 British & Irish Lions 64

Australia have named Tri-Nations winning captain James Horwill as their skipper for the British and Irish Lions Tour.

It is not just the media and supporters who pass the time trying to second guess Warren Gatland’s selection of the British & Irish Lions team for the first Test against Australia.

The Lions were forced into defensive mode yesterday following claims by head coach Warren Gatland that Australia had been spying on his players.

There can rarely have been a day of such extreme emotions for Cian Healy as he was cleared of a biting allegation and then ruled out of this British & Irish Lions tour because of injury.

After two false dawns in terms of competitive opposition, the Lions tourists should finally get a taste of what Australian rugby has to offer at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane this morning.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR:

British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has predicted a fierce battle for back-row places in the forthcoming Test series against Australia.

British and Irish Lions prop Cian Healy has been cleared of biting Western Force scrum-half Brett Sheehan at a disciplinary hearing in Brisbane.

WHEN does a tour really become a tour? The first match? The first bust-up? The first grind-it-out victory?

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR:

Cian Healy’s British and Irish Lions tour could be over in the next 24 hours.

Cian Healy faces an anxious wait from the medics and a judicial hearing this morning while Conor Murray could also be in disciplinary hot water on an otherwise encouraging night for the Irish contingent in the Lions’ victory over the Western Force.

Warren Gatland knows there will be tougher days than the one his British & Irish Lions faced in Western Australia yesterday, starting this Saturday in Brisbane, yet you could not blame the head coach for feeling a little pleased with the ruthless way his team dispatched their opponents.

British and Irish Lions prop Cian Healy has been cited for allegedly biting an opponent.