Scarlets have received a double boost in advance of this evening’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with leaders Munster at Parc Y Scarlets.

Munster 54 Cardiff Blues 13

Munster 16 Scarlets 10

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Munster 36 Perpignan 8

Munster resume RaboDirect Pro12 duty tonight boosted in their bid to maintain momentum at the top of the table by the return of several Ireland squad members.

Munster 12 Ospreys 6

Munster face a second top-of-the-table clash in as many weeks tonight when they defend their RaboDirect Pro12 lead against second-placed Ospreys at Thomond Park (7:15pm).

Munster 19 Leinster 15

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

RABODIRECT PRO 12:

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Munster 34 Edinburgh 23

The fact that Edinburgh will be missing their main play-maker and most lethal finisher tonight will delight Munster as they prepare for the opening round of the RaboDirect Pro 12 at Musgrave Park (7.15pm).

Ireland scrum-half Eoin Reddan will play his first game since his horrific leg break against France in the Six Nations when Leinster take on Northampton tomorrow.

Munster 28 Gloucester 17

It is now more than a decade since the famous Miracle Match of 2003, but memories of that never-to-be-forgotten occasion will be revived when three survivors participate in today’s Seat Series clash of Munster and Gloucester at Thomond Park (kick-off 5pm).

British & Irish Lions 59 Barbarians RFC 8

Hong Kong’s intense heat and humidity may be “hellish”, in Conor Murray’s words, but British & Irish Lions assistant coach Rob Howley believes conditions for the opening game this weekend will stand his players in good stead for the three-Test series with Australia.

Italy’s Sergio Parisse will captain the Barbarians against the British and Irish Lions in Hong Kong this Saturday.

RABODIRECT PRO12

Recent performances in the Heineken Cup excepted, it has been a poor campaign by Munster’s exalted standards and it will be a whole lot worse should they become the first team to lose to Zebre in their last match of the season at the Stadio XXV Aprile in Parma this evening.

Head coach Rob Penney has named a strong team for Munster’s final RaboDirect PRO 12 match of the season tomorrow night.

The inclusion of a fit-again Keith Earls represents Rob Penney’s only change to his starting XV for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Clermont Auvergne at the Stade de la Mosson (6pm).

Munster head coach Rob Penney has dropped Ronan O’Gara for tomorrow’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Leinster at Thomond Park (6.30pm), entrusting flyhalf responsibilities to Ian Keatley.

There is mixed news for Munster on the injury front as Simon Zebo returns from injury for Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Halequins (2pm) but skipper Doug Howlett misses out through a shoulder injury.

Glasgow 51 Munster 24

The absence of Conor Murray from tonight’s Munster squad for the must-win RaboDirect Pro12 game with Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun has set the tongues wagging — is he out of favour, injured, or what?

Having seen Cathal Sheridan overtake him in the scrum-half pecking order in recent games, Munster number 9 Duncan Williams has been given a chance to prove himself after being named in the starting XV for tomorrow's RaboDirect PRO12 match against Glasgow Warriors in Scotstoun (8.05pm)

One of the strengths of Munster rugby over the year has been the ideology that opponents must be respected at all costs, not necessarily feared but at least respected.

James Coughlan believes there is still an opportunity for redemption as Munster head into the last few games of the RaboDirect Pro12 with their hopes of semi-final qualification hanging by a thread.

Having been sidelined since October with a back problem, Munster second row Paul O’Connell returns to the starting team for the RaboDirect PRO12 interprovincial showdown against Connacht at Musgrave Park on Saturday (5.45pm).

Munster head coach Rob Penney will discover whether the blow torch treatment he dispensed to his squad this week had the desired effect this evening.

After last weekend’s drubbing at the hands of Treviso, Munster head coach Rob Penney has made five personnel changes for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Ospreys at Thomond Park (6.30pm).

Treviso 34 Munster 10

RaboDirect Pro12

Felix Jones and James Downey return to the Munster starting XV for the first time since facing Racing Metro in mid January, for Sunday’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso at Stadio di Monigo (3pm).

Scarlets 18 Munster 10

Munster will roll out a couple of heavyweights for their trip to Llanelli tonight.

Mike Sherry will captain Munster for the first time in tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Scarlets in Llanelli (6.30pm).

Ian Keatley has been charged with helping lift Munster into the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup after his expected elevation to the team that meets Racing Metro at Thomond Park tomorrow (12.45pm).

Ian Keatley will replace Ronan O’Gara at flyhalf in the only change Munster boss Rob Penney has made for Sunday's crucial meeting with Racing Metro at Thomond Park (12.45pm).

Having missed the Round 4 defeat to Saracens Keith Earls, Dave Kilcoyne, Tommy O’Donnell and Damien Varley are all named in Rob Penney’s starting XV for Sunday’s Heineken Cup meeting with Edinburgh at Murrayfield (12.45pm).

A hamstring injury has forced Johne Murphy to withdraw from the Munster squad as they prepare to face Cardiff Blues in the RaboDirect PRO12 tonight.