Clermont Auvergne 36 Montpellier 14

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has called up Toulouse wing Maxime Medard and Perpignan lock Sebastien Vahaamahina to his squad ahead of the RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland.

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has made two changes to his squad for the upcoming RBS 6 Nations fixture against Ireland, as Les Bleus battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has made two changes to the team beaten by Italy last weekend for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales in Paris.

Six Nations

Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been recalled to France’s preliminary RBS 6 Nations squad but there is no place for Toulouse winger Maxime Medard.

France 33 Australia 6

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall put English rugby’s European failure down to the gulf in the salary cap between the Aviva Premiership and the rest.

Saracens rugby director Mark McCall is hoping his side can push on from the quarter-finals and become one of Europe’s elite clubs.

ULSTER boss Brian McLaughlin was a man of mixed emotions on Saturday.

ULSTER coach Brian McLaughlin admitted he was totally exhausted and mentally drained after his side came back from the dead to get their Heineken Cup challenge off to awinning start.

BYRON KELLEHER has warned three-time Heineken Cup champions Toulouse to raise their level of performance despite a crushing 42-16 quarter-final win over rivals Stade Francais at Le Stadium yesterday.

STADE FRANCAIS could face the wrath of the citing commissioner following a controversial finish to Saturday’s Heineken Cup Pool Four classic against Ulster at Ravenhill.

STEVE MEEHAN admits it will take “a really good effort” for Bath to reach this season’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals following their shattering defeat against French giants Stade Francais.

DANNY CIPRIANI will continue his quest to regain the England out-half jersey with Wasps this weekend after being included among 17 players Martin Johnson has made available for club duty.

FRANCE go into their opening RBS Six Nations match against Ireland on Saturday week with little experience at half-back after Jean-Baptiste Elissalde was surprisingly omitted from their trimmed-down 23-man squad.

FREDERIC Michalak’s omission from the 30-strong France training squad for the Six Nations is neither a surprise nor a shock as the French rugby establishment opt once again to shun his mercurial talents for more predictable playmakers.

LEICESTER coach Heyneke Meyer hailed a “brilliant” performance by Toby Flood after Tigers launched their Heineken Cup campaign with victory over the Ospreys at Welford Road.

Irishmen Geordan Murphy will make his 50th Heineken Cup appearance for Leicester Tigers in their Heineken tussle with Leinster at The RDS on Saturday.

GEORDAN MURPHY has underlined Leicester’s degree of difficulty in chasing an unprecedented trophy treble, declaring: “It is like climbing Everest.”

France A 20 Ireland A 12

Six Nations U21 result: