The “Sold Out” signs have been up for days at Thomond Park, Ireland’s Six Nations heroes have returned to the fold and the treatment room is as busy as it has been all season. Would it be any other way for Munster in a Champions Cup quarter-final week?

It is fascinating from a collisions point of view watching Ma’a Nonu, pictured, and Mathieu Bastareaud. How will Munster check them, asks Ronan O’Gara

Veteran Argentine international Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is doubtful for Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final against Munster but the task facing Peter O’Mahony’s men was laid out in no uncertain terms in Toulon yesterday.

Jonny May insists England “owe the country” when they face Ireland having ceded the NatWest 6 Nations title to their rivals.

“These are people who sell morality when they do not have it.”

France centre Mathieu Bastareaud has apologised after being cited for appearing to direct homophobic abuse at a Benetton player during Toulon’s 36-0 European Champions Cup win.

It’s part of the gig. Meeting agents. There’s been quite a few in the past two weeks and I’m never sure whether I’m energised or anxious at the amount of money sloshing around in rugby.

Mathieu Bastareaud will miss France's RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland due to concussion.

Champions Cup

As they prepare to head into the lion’s den against title holders Toulon on Sunday afternoon, Jonathan Sexton believes that Leinster need to attack the strengths of the Top 14 giants in their latest European Rugby Champions Cup fixture.

Noir. That’s the word used by both Midi Olympique and L’Equipe in their Monday editions to describe France’s crushing defeat on Sunday at the hands of Ireland in Cardiff.

Jonathan Sexton will be hoping referee Nigel Owens can offer him protection this weekend from French heads and elbows that have previously left him battered and bruised.

France 41 Canada 18: Another comfortable margin on the scoreboard for France, but doubts hang over Philippe Saint-Andre’s side ahead of their final Pool D encounter with Ireland on Sunday week after a workmanlike defeat of Canada in stadium:mk last night.

Seeing may be believing, but the eyes tell lies, too.

France centre Mathieu Bastareaud has revealed he attempted suicide six years ago.

Toulon made rugby union history at Twickenham as they clinched a hat-trick of European titles by defeating fellow French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne 24-18 in the Champions Cup final.

With their Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon now just six days away, anticipation is building around the Leinster camp as they bid to reach their fourth top-tier European decider in just seven seasons.

Stuart Lancaster is convinced England can win the World Cup despite presiding over a fourth successive runners-up finish in the RBS 6 Nations.

Italy 0 France 29

France v Wales

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.

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.

Robbie Henshaw enjoyed the niggle that came with facing his Connacht team-mates across the divide in yesterday’s Ireland training session in Galway.

We used to have a call amongst the forwards long ago, in the heat of an international battle, when we needed to slow the pace down a bit, says Donal Lenihan.

Jonathan Sexton might have thought he had put to bed all the doubts and debate about his selection when he walked off the Lansdowne turf two nights ago, but it was only in the hours afterwards that the Irish out-half finally managed to make his case airtight.

Another weekend of bumper fare for the Six Nations.

Reaction: It’s not long since Ireland seemed like they couldn’t lose to England and couldn’t beg, borrow or steal a win against France, but times change and Conor Murray’s experiences against both countries is proof of that.

Number nine Conor Murray credited Ireland's front line for holding firm in what he described as a "bruising" encounter in the Aviva Stadium yesterday.

Ireland’s Championship and Grand Slam ambitions remain alive, but only just after Joe Schmidt’s side clung on to claim victory against France in their Six Nations meeting at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening.

The IRFU has fired an angry broadside at allegations that sending Johnny Sexton into RBS 6 Nations action against France after a 12-week concussion lay-off could prove “a big mistake”.

“There’s always a fear factor with France.”

After France’s rather unimpressive, tryless win over Scotland, Philippe Saint-Andre was at pains to claim there is still flair in the team — but that concept is dead and buried, writes Ronan O’Gara.

France 15 Scotland 8: They put a brave face on it but it was evident from the shrugs and pouts that a hard-fought tryless 15-8 victory over a feisty Scotland in Paris was not quite enough for the French. 

European Champions Cup Pool 3

Steffon Armitage scored a hat-trick as Toulon secured top spot in Champions Cup Pool 3 with a game to spare thanks to a 60-22 bonus-point win over Ulster.

Jonathan Sexton leaves the field with a head injury in December’s game against Australia. He will miss the start of the Six Nations campaign.

AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL:

Paul O’Connell has warned that the current Toulon squad are much better than the side that hammered Munster in 2011.

RABO DIRECT PRO12: Munster v Glasgow Warriors