The Irish Rugby Football Union has paid tribute to Ronan O'Gara as an "iconic figure'' as he announced his playing retirement in order to take up a coaching role with Racing Metro.

Ireland and Leinster flyhalf Jonathan Sexton may be on his way out of the province after this season with the Dubliner being linked with a move to French side Racing Metro.

John Afoa is adamant the three components of Ulster’s recent good form must be repeated if the northerners are to achieve the double over Premiership giants Northampton at Ravenhill this evening.

AFTER the drama of Friday night when Gloucester and Connacht turned form and expectations on its head by beating Toulouse and Harlequins in Pool 6, you sensed it was going to be one of those dramatic Heineken Cup weekends.

MUNSTER are not a great team.

ALL rational thinking suggests that only the Thomond Park factor can save Munster from a second Heineken Cup defeat at the venue when Northampton Saints come calling on Saturday.

COURTNEY Lawes believes Northampton Saints are finally up and running after a slow start to the new season and have the momentum to continue their winning ways in their Heineken Cup opener against Munster in Limerick on Saturday evening.

KEITH EARLS has been ruled out of Munster’s Heineken Cup match with Northampton on Saturday.

LEINSTER duo Steven Sykes and Heinke van der Merwe appear to have been exonerated of claims they racially abused Northampton prop Brian Mujati during the friendly at Donnybrook on Friday.

Leinster 33 Northampton 22

BOOKMAKERS do not often get things wrong but if you were going to make one wager with them today it is that Joe Schmidt will not have enjoyed seeing punters paid out on a Leinster win two days before kick-off.

Northampton coach Jim Mallinder has today named his side for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup final clash with Leinster at the Millennium Stadium (kick-off 5pm).

Northampton captain Dylan Hartley is braced for a punishing afternoon at the coalface when Saints bid for Heineken Cup glory against Leinster tomorrow.

ULSTER have grown used to the pain of defeat in the Heineken Cup over the last 12 years, but this quarter-final loss will be excruciating.

Northampton 23 Ulster 13

Ulster Coach Brian McLaughlin had named his team for Sunday's Heineken Cup quarter-final clash against Northampton Saints at the Stadium:MK in Milton Keynes, kick-off 2pm.

LEICESTER come into their Heineken Cup clash with Leinster on the back of a controversial 17-13 win over Harlequins.

Northampton 37 Edinburgh 0

Northampton will be prepared for the “different problems” posed by Heineken Cup opponents when they switch their attention from domestic to European business tomorrow night.

Stephen Myler has received a vote of confidence from coach Jim Mallinder to play ahead of Shane Geraghty at out-half for Northampton Saints against Munster in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park on Saturday.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika has launched a staunch defence of Irish flanker Shane Jennings whose disputed 12-week ban was upheld by an appeal committee sitting in Dublin yesterday.

MUNSTER’S bid to get their Magners League defence back on the track against Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Friday night next is not helped by the fact that they will definitely be without Doug Howlett, Marcus Horan and Tony Buckley, all of whom left the field prematurely during last Saturday’s Heineken Cup victory over Treviso.

Perpignan 29 Northampton Saints 13

Northampton Saints have selected three Irishmen in centre James Downey, flanker Neil Best and number eight Roger Wilson in their side to play Munster in the Heineken Cup at Franklins Gardens on Saturday.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has made two changes to the team which beat Scotland last weekend for the season-ending Test against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has admitted his players are struggling to motivate themselves for Saturday’s clash with England at Twickenham.

Scotland 10 South Africa 14

World champions South Africa recorded their 10th successive victory over Wales - but only after surviving a major scare at the Millennium Stadium.

Bakkies Botha has been named in a full-strength South Africa XV for Saturday’s Test against Wales in Cardiff.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers handed debuts to two players, but left out World Cup stars Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery and Francois Steyn from his team to face Wales in the first Test at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers insists the world champions will be ready for a “forward onslaught” from Wales when the Test series begins on Saturday in Bloemfontein.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers sprang several surprises when naming his 30-man squad for the Tests against Wales and Italy next month.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has named 12 uncapped players in his first squad since taking charge of the Springboks earlier this year.