Rory Best is set to captain the British & Irish Lions against the Chiefs on Tuesday after Warren Gatland named a matchday squad missing tour skipper Sam Warburton in the final game before Saturday’s first Test with the All Blacks.

Connacht 14 - Dragons 9: Connacht coach Pat Lam says Kieran Marmion is fit to make his first start in the Six Nations next Saturday against France if called into action.

Here’s the lowdown on four big games across Europe...

Defeat is painful and Munster have been hurting all week as they prepare to right the wrongs of last weekend’s home stumble to Cardiff Blues in their Guinness Pro12 trip to Newport Gwent Dragons today (5:15pm).

Munster 26 Newport Gwent Dragons 5: Two salient points emerged from Saturday night’s Guinness Pro 12 game at Thomond Park.

Munster and the Newport Gwent Dragons both received good news yesterday as they prepare for their Guinness Pro12 clash at Thomond Park tonight.

After a brief respite, Connacht Rugby return to Pro12 action and face an improving Newport Gwent Dragons in Newport this evening (7.30pm).

Anthony Foley has laid it on the line for his players ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Ulster’s new director of rugby Less Kiss has named Rory Best and Ruan Pienaar on the bench for tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash away to Newport Gwent Dragons.

Connacht 29 Dragons 23: Connacht opened their Guinness Pro 12 season with a valuable home win, edging a lively encounter against the Newport Gwent Dragons at the Galway Sportsground last evening.

There are few surprises in Pat Lam’s Connacht squad for this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 opener at the Galway Sportsground (7.30pm).

Anthony Foley will send his Munster players out against Newport Gwent Dragons today hoping last Saturday’s late meltdown was not an omen for the last throes of the regular season.

With their European Rugby Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon just eight days away, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has opted to wrap his star players in cotton wool for the province’s Guinness Pro12 encounter with Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow.

Gwent Dragons v Ulster

Trinity College Dublin 1 University College Cork 3

Newport Gwent Dragons 9 Cardiff Blues 11

GUINNESS PRO12:

GUINNESS PRO12:

Scoil Maria Assumpta, Ballyphehane 4-11 Scoil Mhuire, Ballincollig 1-2

Ulster 38 Newport-Gwent Dragons 8

Connacht 14 Newport Gwent Dragons 11

Ireland captain Paul O’Connell makes his return to Munster colours ahead of schedule tonight having been cleared by the IRFU to face Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Munster enjoyed the time of their lives for 40 minutes in last night’s Rabo Direct Pro12 clash with the Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park.

Off the field business has provided another unwelcome diversion from Munster’s crucial RaboDirect Pro12 clash with Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park tonight, with news of a second loan move by Peter Stringer fromSaracens to Newcastle Falcons.

Ulster’s Nevin Spence hopes to avoid the blues when he runs-up against Gavin Henson in Cardiff’s traditional Arms Park home tonight.

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.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood rallied his side for tonight’s clash with Cardiff Blues by urging them to show the spirit they showed in Europe this season.

LEINSTER eased into the British & Irish Cup semi-finals at a canter at Donnybrook yesterday.

JOEY BARTON hit out at a “ridiculous decision” to send him off in QPR’s loss to Norwich at Loftus Road yesterday for an apparent headbutt on Bradley Johnson.

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.

IRELAND U20 missed a chance of victory as Paddy Jackson struck the post with an injury-time conversion at Parc Y Scarlets.

AFTER consecutive away victories, Darren Edwards has made four changes for Wales U20’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland at Parc Y Scarlets tonight (7.10 pm).

IN-FORM Bulls’ centre Wynand Olivier will be back to give the Waikato Chiefs an even harder time in the New Zealanders’ first Super 14 final in Pretoria tomorrow (Sky Sports Xtra, 4pm)

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika admitted his team still has a way to go before it can successfully compete on two fronts after their Magners League campaign ended with defeat at Newport Gwent Dragons.

Terenure 24 St Mary's 30