Voice of experience Cave nears end of line

The beginning of Joe Schmidt’s Six Nations career could have been so much smoother.

It would be fair to say that as anti-climatic and disappointing as last Saturday in the Aviva was, it hardly constituted the sort of crisis and crossroads Irish rugby was looking at the last time we played and lost an opening Six Nations game to England, writes Kieran Shannon.

A second win over the All Blacks in the last three meetings is a significant enough achievement for Ireland but what is even more satisfying is the team which got the job done this time around.

Andrew Trimble last night called time on an illustrious playing career with Ulster and Ireland by announcing he will retire at the end of the season.

"These have been some of the most fulfilling days of my life and I feel nothing but gratitude for them."

Jacob Stockdale was just 13 years of age when he saw his Ireland heroes claim Ireland’s Grand Slam of 2009.

Ulster are making no official comment on speculation in New Zealand and Australia that their newly appointed head man Jono Gibbes is being hunted by Wallaby coach Michael Cheika.

Prop Wiehahn Herbst could be set for a recall when Ulster face Wasps in Sunday’s decisive Champions Cup Pool One game in Coventry.

Apologies if the focus on Leinster’s strength in depth is beginning to wear thin but it is a theme that is impossible to ignore given the side Leo Cullen named yesterday.

It’s a fixture which Connacht have only won four times in 29 meetings but coach Kieran Keane is hoping that Tiernan O’Halloran’s decision to remain at the Sportsground will be the start of a great festive period.

One of the advantages of being a newcomer to this Ireland side is a lack of baggage attached to that 2015 defeat to Argentina.

Guinness PRO14: Southern Kings 36 - Ulster 43: Ulster staged a superb second-half fightback to record a 43-36 Guinness PRO14 win over Southern Kings after trailing 22-10 at the break in Port Elizabeth.

Ulster Director of Rugby Les Kiss has named his 23-man squad for Friday's Guinness PRO14 clash against Scarlets at Kingspan Stadium.

Benetton Treviso 14 - Ulster 21: Andrew Trimble scored two first-half tries as Ulster held on to beat Benetton Treviso 21-14 at the Stadio Monigo for their second straight Guinness PRO14 win.

Ulster 17 Leinster 13: Thankfully it wasn’t all about the game itself on a bright summer’s day at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday. At least two stand-out moments came from the two Ulster players who were bidding farewell to a venue they had graced on numerous occasions.

Leinster were denied top spot in the Guinness PRO12 after suffering their first league defeat since December at Irish rivals Ulster.

The final round of Pro 12 games brought plenty of drama today.

Saturday’s European Champions Cup semi-final against holders Saracens should mark the most important day in Duncan Williams’ professional rugby career.

Experienced Ireland star Andrew Trimble has lent his weight to the plethora of indignation that has surrounded plans to condense the Six Nations Championship into five weekends.

Ireland skipper Rory Best will lead Ulster for the first time this season when they face a strong Cardiff outfit at the Kingspan Stadium this evening (kick-off 7.35pm).

Ireland, their Six Nations hopes still alive, will enter the white heat of a Friday night appointment at the Principality Stadium with head coach Joe Schmidt trusting his leaders in an unchanged team to keep emotions in check on what promises to be another high-octane showdown with Wales.

Ireland welcome Rob Kearney back to training today ahead of Friday’s must-win Six Nations clash with Wales as the backline selection conundrums multiply for head coach Joe Schmidt.

Ulster have the luxury of rolling out some serious power for the Guinness Pro12 visit of Treviso this evening (kick-off 7.35pm).

Peter O’Mahony is having no truck with talk of bonus points ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations assignment in Cardiff.

Joe Schmidt may wait until after training this morning at Carton House before finalising his Ireland team to face France in Dublin on Saturday.

Good news on the Jonathan Sexton fitness front this afternoon and, though he will certainly start in the Six Nations against the French this Saturday if that continues, the gap between the Leinster ten and Ulster’s Paddy Jackson has narrowed appreciably.

Joe Schmidt insists Paddy Jackson has done enough to ensure Johnny Sexton will not be an automatic selection for Ireland's RBS 6 Nations clash with France.

Ireland flew into Edinburgh last night with what head coach Joe Schmidt described as a “quiet confidence” that the players he will send into the RBS 6 Nations fray at Murrayfield tomorrow can ignore the hype surrounding Scotland and continue their winning ways.

Here's your evening bulletin.

Ulster finished their disappointing European Champions Cup season in downbeat fashion as Bordeaux-Begles secured a hard-earned but deserved 26-22 victory at the Kingspan Stadium.