THERE are reasons to believe that Castres might offer limited opposition in Friday’s return Heineken Cup clash at Stade Pierre-Antoine, but don’t say that within earshot of Leinster coach Michael Cheika.

THE Leinster sports psychologists and chaplins will be kept busy this week.

SHANE HORGAN is poised to equal Reggie Corrigan’s Leinster Heineken Cup record of 61 caps against Toulouse on Sunday.

ARGENTINA’S World Cup star Felipe Contepomi is ready to launch another team towards tournament glory this weekend.

IT DIDN’T say much for the quality of the game that Christian Warner, Leinster’s goal kicker, won the man of the match award at the RDS in Dublin last night.

KEITH GLEESON is named in the Leinster team to meet Connacht at the RDS tonight (7.30pm).

SHANE HORGAN will make history when he becomes the first player from a junior club, Boyne, to captain Leinster for tonight’s Magners League clash with Glasgow at Firhill.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika welcomes back skipper Brian O’Driscoll and Malcolm O’Kelly into the extended panel for the first time this season after their return from the Rugby World Cup ahead of the clash with Glasgow Warriors in Friday night’s Magners League clash at Firhill.

THE Leinster squad to face Edinburgh in the opening game of the Magners League season in the RDS on Saturday (5.30pm) has been named.

Michael Cheika has included new signings Juan Francisco Gomez, Chris Keane and Stephen Knoop in the Leinster squad to play Edinburgh in the opening game of the Magners League season in the RDS on Saturday.

STEPHEN KEOGH is battling to be fit for Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against London Wasps in Adams Park (5.45pm, Sky Sports).

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika expressed relief after Saturday’s Magners League derby victory and acknowledged his side must improve drastically if they are to overcome Wasps in the Heineken Cup next weekend.

LEO CULLEN wants to make a meaningful return to international rugby after being named as replacement captain in Ireland A’s game against England Saxons at Ravenhill tonight (7.45pm).

THE padlocks on the gates of Lansdowne Road dictate that a ‘home’ Heineken Cup quarter-final draw is beyond their control but Leinster are adamant that their final Pool 2 game at Kingsholm next Friday is anything but a dead rubber.

“YOU don’t beat Munster twice in the same season,” has long been a mantra of the European champions and it’s one that will be put to a severe test at Thomond Park this afternoon (3pm, Setanta Sports) when Leinster make their first visit in nine years to the famous Limerick venue for an eagerly-awaited Magners League tie.

DENIS HICKIE will make his first competitive start of the season in tonight’s Magners League against Cardiff Blues at Donnybrook.

CARDIFF BLUES are to deny Munster fans the potential for a big Heineken Cup show of strength at the Millennium Stadium.

Leinster 19 Bath 22

LEINSTER will roll out two of the big names for tomorrow night’s Celtic League clash with leaders Ulster at Donnybrook (5.30).

Leinster 33 Dragons 14

MUNSTER’S Celtic League clash with Llannelli, fixed for Thomond Park on September 23, will be moved to Cork as the Limerick venue has been deemed unplayable for at least a month after 3000 sods of turf were dug up by vandals.

Shannon 21 Clontarf 11

Connacht 13 Ospreys 22

Ireland A 15 France A 9

IRISH coach Eddie O’Sullivan longs for the day when the A International Championship resumes.

ON this very day twelve months ago, Munster and Connacht clashed in Athlone in what is now regarded as one of Celtic League’s worst ever games.

SQUAD rotation is the name of the game where the Munster team to face Connacht in the Celtic League at the Galway Sportsground on Monday (kick-off 2pm) is concerned.

Connacht 19 Dragons 14

FIVE short months after Shannon’s AIB League victory, it all starts again at Thomond Park on Sunday.

Harlequins hero Gavin Duffy has been named by Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan in his Irish squad to tour South Africa next month.

Connacht have made a number of changes from the side which played against Munster on Friday night with Mark McHugh, who goes into hospital on Friday for an operation, ruled out.

Munster 39 Connacht 10

LEICESTER yesterday appointed Pat Howard as their new backs coach – and the former Wallaby has vowed to help the Tigers reclaim the glory days.

Connacht have made a number of changes for their clash with title-chasing Gwent Dragons at the Sportsground on Saturday (2.30 pm).

The Connacht team to play Ulster in the Celtic League on Friday night at Ravenhill (K/O 7.35 pm), in a game which will be televised live by TG4, shows a number of changes from that which started against Harlequins in Sunday¹s Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final.

Connacht will be hoping for the perfect send-off for their Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final against Harlequins on Sunday week when they take on Neath/Swansea Ospreys in the Celtic league at the Sportsground on Saturday (2.30pm).

The Connacht team to play Llanelli at Stradey Park on Friday night In the Celtic League shows four changes from that which defeated Leinster last time out.

The Connacht team to play Leinster at the Sportsground on Saturday (2.30pm) shows four changes from that which played The Borders at the weekend.

TOP Irish clubs could make a radical challenge to the Irish Rugby Football Union at a meeting in Dublin tomorrow.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley and his assistant John McKee have made eight changes to the side to play Glasgow at the Sportsground on Saturday (ko 2.30pm).

Connacht have been forced to make one change for Saturday's Celtic League clash against Celtic Warriors at the Brewery Field in Bridgend.

Connacht have made seven changes to the side which defeated Narbonne in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final for Saturday's Celtic League clash with Celtic Warriors at Bridgend.

Connacht return to the south of France this weekend for the third time in seven weeks for a quarter-final clash with Narbonne in the Parker Pen European Challenge Cup.