High hopes of Connacht repeating their famous victory of 10 years ago in Cardiff Arms Park were dashed last night when the Blues claimed victory on home soil.

WINTER arrived with a vengeance in Dublin last night — but Leinster gave their supporters plenty cause for cheer as they swept to a comfortable bonus-point victory over an outclassed Cardiff outfit.

ONE more injury or one more call-up to the Wales squad this week and Cardiff Blues would have found themselves travelling to Dublin for this evening’s RaboDirect Pro12 encounter without the services of a full starting 15.

WALES captain Sam Warburton will return to action when the Cardiff Blues launch their Heineken Cup campaign in Paris tonight.

ANOTHER frustrating night for Connacht.

JAMES COUGHLAN scored the game’s only try but it was Munster’s defence that saw them put one foot in the Magners League play-offs in Cardiff last night.

NORTHAMPTON maintained their perfect Heineken Cup Pool 1 record in a thriller at the Cardiff City Stadium after the Blues were hit by the second-half dismissal of Xavier Rush.

THERE was an element of satisfaction about the end result when a fitful performance but deserved victory at Thomond Park on Saturday night guaranteed Munster will stay top of the Magners League at least until St. Stephen’s Day.

CARDIFF BLUES boss Dai Young is expecting a stern test from Ulster in tomorrow’s Magners League clash at Cardiff City Stadium (3.45pm).

Wales’ most-capped forward of all time – Cardiff Blues flanker Martyn Williams - has failed to win a starting place for the autumn Test series opener against Australia on Saturday.

CARDIFF BLUES knocked Munster off their perch at the top of the Magners League table with a comfortable victory over Connacht.

CONNACHT coach Eric Elwood has slammed the “ridiculous” scheduling of their Magners League clash away to Cardiff Blues.

THE story of Leinster’s season so far seemed to be repeating itself at the RDS on Saturday evening.

Former Munster prop Timmy Ryan has made the replacements bench on the Toulon squad to play Cardiff Blues in the Amlin Challenge Cup final in Marseilles tomorrow.

LEINSTER’S young guns steered them back to the top of the Magners League table and now they have a four-point lead over champions Munster with a game in hand.

CONNACHT hope for a swift reversal in fortune when they return to the Galway Sportsground to host Cardiff this evening.

British & Irish Lion centre Jamie Roberts will make his seasonal debut for Cardiff Blues against Connacht at The Sportsground on Friday.

THERE was a time when Munster was the last place a promising young back-row forward would have looked when it came to forging a career as a professional rugby player.

MUNSTER failed to shrug offtheir Heineken Cup hangoverafter crashing to defeat at Cardiff Blues.

Ulster 9 Cardiff 11

PINT-SIZED scrum-half Paul Marshall will relish the opportunity to shine when Ulster finish their home Magners League programme against the Cardiff Blues tonight (7.30).

AS THE gap widens between Connacht and those above them in the Magners League, every game is becoming more critical, and few more so than a home fixture against the Welsh team immediately above them.

IRELAND hooker Rory Best will lead Ulster’s Magners League challenge against Glasgow at Ravenhill on Saturday night although Stephen Ferris and Paddy Wallace are still unavailable.

LEINSTER fly-half Felipe Contepomi will captain Argentina in the first test against Ireland in Santa Fe on Saturday.

THERE are a few permutations to juggle with as the chase for the Magners League title takes the bell this weekend, but the bottom line is simple: win with a bonus point in Cardiff tonight and Leinster will be champions.

Gavin Henson has today been named in the Wales squad for their Test matches against Australia on May 26 and June 2.

IN a game that could have gone either way, Connacht were forced to accept a draw against a side touting title hopes.

MUNSTER have been given a huge boost with the news that John Kelly and Trevor Halstead have been restored to full fitness.

Munster coach Declan Kidney makes four changes, from the side that started against Border Reivers, for Friday's Magners League clash with Cardiff Blues.

MARK JONES has recovered from ankle ligament damage and is named on the wing for Wales’ RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins believes axed centre Gavin Henson is struggling to cope with the pressures of his celebrity status.

Gareth Thomas has been named in the Wales side to play Ireland this weekend, pending the outcome of today’s disciplinary hearing.

LEICESTER are hurtling towards a Pool Four decider against European champions Munster in Limerick tomorrow week, but they cannot allow such an enticing prospect to overshadow their Welford Road appointment with Cardiff Blues this afternoon (3pm, Sky Sports).

Cardiff Blues 22 Munster 13

JOHN KELLY has no fears of leading inexperienced troops into battle against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park tonight (7.10).

MUNSTER may be Heineken Cup champions but they won’t get anything soft in the Celtic League opener against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park tomorrow night.

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney will name his team to play their final Celtic League game of the season against the Cardiff Blues at lunchtime today, but may have to do without two international greats.

LEINSTER will be aiming to rediscover their winning touch against Cardiff Blues at the RDS today (5.30pm), just a week before they open another Heineken Cup campaign at the same venue.