France 32 Italy 10: There were just four minutes to go on Saturday night when Frederic Michalak’s number came up.

Champions Toulon take on Wasps in the last eight of the European Champions Cup at Stade Félix Mayol tomorrow afternoon (kick-off 3.15pm)

RBS Six Nations

RBS Six Nations

Jack Anderson: "The issue of concussion in rugby is not one for the lawyers. Rule changes and protocols reflecting the best medical advice and research is key."

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has relegated powerful centre Mathieu Bastareaud to the bench for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales in Paris.

England’s full-back Mike Brown is almost certain to miss Sunday’s pivotal Six Nations clash in Dublin as he has still not recovered from a head injury suffered against Italy.

England 47 Italy 17

The dust has settled around the first set of games in the 6 Nations and we know a lot more now than we did last week.

Tommy O’Donnell should have been watching the start of the game from the bench.

Joe Schmidt knows his Ireland side has plenty of work to do if they are to match England's opening-night power show in Wales and make a successful RBS 6 Nations title defence over the next six weeks.

Ireland laboured for an hour before two tries in three minutes launched their RBS 6 Nations title defence with a 26-3 victory that was more sluggish than routine in Italy.

Veteran lock Marco Bortolami will captain Italy in tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations game against Ireland.

AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

Wasps 28 Leinster 48

I have become extremely wary of Irish performances in the second of back-to-back internationals and the fact that today’s outing is against Italy offers no significant comfort.

Tomorrow’s Rome result may not quality as do-or-die to the casual observer, but what happens over 80 minutes in the Olympic Stadium will have long-term repercussions for the management, players and IRFU as a whole.

England 18 Italy 11

England 18 Italy 11

Scotland 34 Italy 10

Rob Kearney has described Ireland’s failure to win in Paris since 2000 as “sad” but breaking the pattern will require no silly errors or soft tries when Declan Kidney’s team returns to Stade de France on Sunday.

Just how expensive will that last gasp penalty against Wales prove to be when this championship is decided in a few weeks time?

Ireland 42 Italy 10

The 20-year-old landed four penalties and a tough conversion, following Charlie Hodgson’s second charge-down try in as many weeks, as England rallied from 15-6 down to claim their second win of the championship.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has named four uncapped players in his 30-man squad for the for the first two games of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Andrea Masi returns at full-back in Italy’s only change for Sunday’s World Cup showdown with Ireland at Otago Stadium.

IF the current spin whirling around this Sunday’s World Cup clash is to believed, Italy’s backline will be standing around twiddling their thumbs under the Otago Stadium roof while their pack goes about the business of trying to arm wrestle Ireland into submission.

DON’T expect a cakewalk and don’t imagine it is going to be pretty.

Italy will unveil a vastly-changed line-up when they take on Russia in Ireland's Group C of the Rugby World Cup tomorrow, with only three players retained from the 32-6 mauling at the hands of Australia.

Australia 32 Italy 6

Scotland 23 Italy 12

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made 11 changes to his starting line-up for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Connacht Rugby have today completed the signing of rugby league legend Henry Fa’afili.

IT’S not what you’d expect from an international rugby player but for Tullow’s Sean O’Brien, a place away from the limelight at a rural club cup was home.

Scotland 21 Italy 8

Scotland 21 Italy 8

Italy coach Nick Mallett hailed today's momentous RBS 6 Nations win over France as evidence that his team are now a serious force in the world game.

Italy claimed their first RBS 6 Nations victory over France at the 12th attempt with a sensational 22-21 upset in Rome this afternoon.

Italy prop Andrea Lo Cicero is relishing the prospect of taking on France in Rome on Saturday.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made seven changes to his side to face France in Saturday's RBS Six Nations match at the Stadio Flaminio.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has named his side for Friday night’s Heineken Cup match against Racing-Métro 92 at the Stade Yves du Manoir, kick-off 8pm.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 24-man squad for the first two games of the RBS 6 Nations.

Out-half Jonathan Sexton will start for Leinster against Racing-Metro in Pool 2 of the Heineken Cup at The RDS tomorrow afternoon (1.30pm).