It was around midnight on Saturday when the first of the cars, horns blaring and flags flying, pulled off the A75 and headed towards the centre of Clermont-Ferrand.

“Sizzled, suffered, then won” – that was how L’Equipe chose to set the tone for what was a day of high drama at the Stade de la Mosson on Saturday.

Clermont Auvergne coach Vern Cotter yesterday played down the loss of his captain Aurelien Rougerie and flanker Gerhard Vosloo for today’s Heineken Cup semi-final.

He speaks of a new adversary in glowing terms, but Munster’s Peter O’Mahony hopes not to yield an inch of ground to Clermont Auvergne’s experienced flanker Julien Bonnaire.

Paul O’Connell last night described Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final against raging hot favourites Clermont Auvergne as the biggest challenge he has faced in a Munster jersey.

Triple Grand Slam winner Gethin Jenkins has set his sights on extending Wales’ upward curve Down Under this summer.

England captain Chris Robshaw and full-back Ben Foden last night endorsed Stuart Lancaster’s bid to become the team’s full-time coach after a remarkable RBS 6 Nations triumph over France.

Scotland wing Rory Lamont suffered a suspected broken leg in the 23-17 RBS 6 Nations loss to France at Murrayfield yesterday.

Full-back Stuart Hogg will make his first Test start today as Scotland look to revive their RBS 6 Nations campaign against Rugby World Cup finalists France.

Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France was tonight given the go-ahead after the Stade de France passed a pitch inspection by referee Dave Pearson.

France have brought Imanol Harinordoquy into their team for Saturday’s Six Nations home clash against Ireland in one of four changes to the starting lineup from last weekend’s victory over Italy.

GLASGOW WARRIORS maintained their pursuit of Leinster in Heineken Cup Pool Three with a 20-15 victory over Montpellier at Firhill.

CLERMONT AUVERGNE picked up their first win of this season’s Heineken Cup in some style as they put Aironi to the sword in a one-sided clash at Stade Marcel Michelin last night.

DEFLATED French hooker Dimitri Szarzewski claimed his side were “playing 15 against 16” in their Rugby World Cup final defeat against New Zealand due to the passionate home support in Auckland.

WALES’ World Cup squad have rallied behind their suspended skipper Sam Warburton after he was sent off during an agonising semi-final defeat against France on Saturday.

MARTIN JOHNSON insists England’s preparations for tomorrow’s clash with Romania will not be thrown off course by the arrival in Dunedin of Zara Phillips.

FRANCE coach Marc Lievremont was “satisfied” after seeing his side claim a second straight bonus-point win in Pool A with a 46-19 success over Canada in Napier.

LAST week it was Julien Pierre and Romain Millo-Chluski. Today it is Pascal Pape and Lionel Nallet.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont has thrown down the gauntlet to his players ahead of Saturday’s World Cup warm-up with Ireland in Bordeaux by declaring that Les Bleus are now in “competition mode”.

Biarritz forward Raphael Lakafia will make his France debut against Ireland in Bordeaux on Saturday.

JULIEN BONNAIRE has promised there will be no fear in the France ranks when Marc Lievremont’s troops run out at Twickenham tomorrow.

France tonight suffered a blow to their preparations for Saturday’s clash with England when full-back Maxime Medard was ruled out.

Julien Bonnaire has promised there will be no fear in the France ranks when Marc Lievremont’s troops run out at Twickenham on Saturday.

1. The Tactical Battle

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Mathieu Bastareaud has been left out of France’s squad for their upcoming internationals against Fiji, Argentina and Australia.

ARGENTINA bounced back from their home series defeat by Scotland in style with a record thrashing of Six Nations champions France in Buenos Aires.

IF Martin Johnson needed any reassurance the anguish of developing a new England team can ultimately be worth it, he need only listen to Marc Lievremont.

FRANCE will bid to enhance their place at the top of the RBS 6 Nations Championship table when they play Wales on Friday night.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont was reluctant to talk up comeback king Mathieu Bastareaud ahead of Ireland’s forthcoming trip to Paris, despite the Stade Francais man announcing his return to the international stage with a brace of tries yesterday.

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont admits his team could be embarrassed by Italy on Saturday if they fail to improve on the “mediocrity” they have shown so far in the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

ENGLAND boss Martin Johnson yesterday warned his ill-disciplined players he is ready to wield the axe ahead of next week’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France.

France have made four changes in personnel to their 23-man squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship match against England at Twickenham on Sunday week.

France head coach Marc Lievremont has named just one recognised fly-half in his provisional 30-man squad for a three-day training camp ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

CLERMONT AUVERGNE saw their faint Heineken Cup hopes extinguished despite a comprehensive bonus point victory against Montauban in the all-French Pool One clash at Stade Marcel Michelin last night.

FRANCE captain Lionel Nallet preferred to dwell on his team’s victory over Italy rather than the prospect of registering a heavy win against Wales next weekend to retain the RBS 6 Nations Championship title.

England arrive in Paris seeking a first Six Nations victory at Stade de France for eight years today.

MICK O’DRISCOLL found little comfort in his own performance after yet another defeat for Ireland at the hands of the French.

AURELIEN ROUGERIE insists France will pay a heavy penalty if they underestimate Ireland in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash in Paris.

NEW-LOOK France got their RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign off to the perfect start with an impressive victory against lacklustre Scotland at Murrayfield.

MARC LIEVREMONT didn’t take long to usher in a new dawn in French rugby yesterday by naming six uncapped players in a much-changed squad for the Six Nations Championship opener against Scotland.

LAWRENCE Dallaglio admits European champions Wasps “have to do the business” on Saturday after suffering their biggest Heineken Cup defeat for almost six years.

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FRANCE flanker Julien Bonnaire has admitted that his team will become temporary Irish fans tomorrow as World Cup Pool D reaches a nervous finale.