Warren Gatland has thrown down a challenge to his Lions to get the tourists off to a winning start this Saturday after last night naming a strong team to face the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.

Leinster 19 Bath 39: Semesa Rokoduguni, Harry Davies and George Ford helped themselves to second-half tries at Donnybrook last night, as Leinster’s pre-season campaign ended with a 20-point defeat against Bath.

Chris Ashton and Danny Cipriani have failed to make the cut for Eddie Jones' 45-man provisional England squad for the forthcoming Autumn series.

CHAMPIONS CUP: YOUR TEAM-BY-TEAM WEEKEND GUIDE

England have selected Brad Barritt and Jonathan Joseph as their centre pairing for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up game against Ireland at Twickenham.

England head coach Stuart Lancaster has admitted to shedding tears over the selection of his 31-man World Cup squad.

Ireland squad manager Mick Kearney insists Cian Healy’s recovery from neck surgery is “coming on fine”.

Milford 1-18 Ballygarvan 1-11: Free-scoring Milford cruised effortlessly through their Cork IHC fourth-round clash with Ballygarvan at Coachford last night, emerging triumphantly with a well-rounded performance in both halves with and against a stiff breeze.

Stuart Lancaster has urged Twickenham to will England to victory tomorrow evening as he prepares to order his RBS 6 Nations title hopefuls to carry the game to France.

Donegal 1-07 Cavan 0-09: A goal two minutes into injury-time from Ryan McHugh dumped four in a row Ulster champions Cavan from the Ulster U21 championship at the quarter-final in Ballybofey last night.

England have made the first changes of their 2015 RBS 6 Nations campaign after naming Alex Goode and Jack Nowell in their starting XV to face Ireland on Sunday.

Leigh Halfpenny says Wales will carry their Twickenham "hurt" of last season into tomorrow night’s RBS 6 Nations opener against England.

Stuart Lancaster has pledged to "make it absolutely crystal clear" to Dylan Hartley that any more lapses in discipline could blow England’s Six Nations chances.

Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter have the chance to reignite their Test careers in England’s 34-man Six Nations training squad, with Sam Burgess also handed World Cup lift-off.

Milford (Cork) 0-14 Granagh/Ballingarry (Limerick) 0-6

AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP FINAL:

Cormac Costello pointed from a late free to snatch victory for Dublin in this dogged Cadbury’s All-Ireland U21FC semi-final at O’Moore Park.

Cavan 2-06 Donegal 0-08

Derry 0-12 Cavan 3-10

Milford 0-6 Ardrahan 0-5

“Follow that,” quipped Robin Copeland two days ago as he wrapped up his media duties at Ireland’s team base and breezed out the door past Tommy O’Donnell.

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY:

Milford (Cork) 0-14 Granagh/Ballingarry (Limerick) 0-04

Milford 0-17 Ballygarvan 1-12

Avondhu 6-15 Carbery 0-13

Avondhu 1-15 Carbery 2-12

Milford 3-06 Killimor 1-06

Milford 5-15 St Catherine’s 0-5

Ireland’s U20 Grand Slam dream died at Adams Park in High Wycombe last night after they failed to fully recover from a strong opening by England.

Second-half drop goals from half-backs Luke McGrath and Paddy Jackson against Wales set the Ireland U20s on a Grand Slam journey back in February but the duo are not underestimating the final road block.

COROFIN, denied a first ever three-in-a-row of Galway SFC titles last year, advanced to the semi-finals of this year’s title race with a replay win over neighbours Claregalway at Tuam Stadium on Saturday evening.

FR O’NEILL’S had to call on all of their experience to book a place in the Cork IHC final where they will meet either St Catherine’s or Bandon.

SEANIE O’CONNELL proved the scoring hero for Milford last night as his 58th minute point was a match winner when they advanced past Barryroe at Páirc Uí Rinn.

MILFORD ended Fermoy’s IHC title ambitions on Saturday night after they edged the north Cork side in a tough, stuttering 60-minute encounter at Kildorrery.

ALL known logic was almost defied as the Ireland Schools came within eight minutes of trumping all-powerful England in an adrenaline-fuelled FIRA U18 European Championship qualifier at Donnybrook yesterday.

IT SHOULD have been an Evening Echo Cork SHC double-header to savour, but neither the meeting of St Finbarr’s and Blackrock in the opener, nor the ensuing Glen Rovers and Na Piarsaigh clash at Páirc Ui Chaoimh lived up to expectation for the 5,000 plus crowd.

Milford 2-14 Éire Óg 3-10

Clare 3-0 Cork 2-2

A DRAW was the fairest result in this Munster Colleges Junior A camogie decider at Feenagh on Saturday.

UCC 3-11 NUIG1-1

Fr O’Neills 3-10 Milford 1-14