CARL LEWIS once said that life was all about timing and a man whose day job was all about shaving milliseconds should know.

AND then there were eight.

London Irish 11 Leinster 11

LONDON IRISH have it all to do when they face Heineken Cup champions Leinster in a decisive Pool Six showdown at Twickenham today.

England scrum-half Paul Hodgson believes London Irish face “a truly monumental task” to keep alive their Heineken Cup dream at Twickenham tomorrow.

London Irish have recalled the twin threat of wings Topsy Ojo and Sailosi Tagicakibau Saturday's Heineken Cup final pool six match with Leinster at Twickenham.

ALAN GAFFNEY isn’t the type to beat his chest and deliver a piercing war cry, but the quietly-spoken Australian does admit that Leinster will be looking for some payback in Twickenham tomorrow.

Scarlets 31 London Irish 22

MUNSTER and Leinster might have their own domestic duties to focus on today, but they will keeping one eye on the action across the water, as their respective Heineken Cup pool rivals meet in the Guinness Premiership.

London Irish 34 Brive 13

Brive 3 London Irish 36

IT was what Leinster feared all week long, being the hunted rather than the hunter. So a stirring triumph over old rivals Munster in the dress rehearsal for this opening game in their defence of the Heineken Cup meant absolutely nothing; the champions fell victim to a sucker punch in the dying stages of a vigorously contested but disappointing match at the RDS last night.

Leinster 9 London Irish 12

London Irish coach Toby Booth has rotated his entire front row for three of the five changes he has made for tomorrow’s opening Heineken Cup fixture with Leinster in Dublin.

THE ENGLISH Professional Rugby Players’ Association chief Damian Hopley has criticised the 12-month ban handed to Tom Williams as “entirely disproportionate”.

Ryan Lamb has moved to Guinness Premiership finalists London Irish to breathe new life into his England ambitions.

HARLEQUINS are at the centre of a Heineken Cup investigation following their quarter-final clash against Leinster last weekend.

Harlequins are at the centre of a Heineken Cup investigation following their quarter-final clash against Leinster last weekend.

Ireland full-back Rob Kearney admits revenge will be a motivating factor when Leinster meet Munster in the Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park.

Dean Richards refused to lament the end of Harlequins’ Heineken Cup adventure following their thrilling 6-5 defeat by Leinster.

Croke Park in three weeks’ time, where Munster will bring more far more nous, class and belief to face an opponent over which they hold the Indian sign.

Harlequins 5 Leinster 6

FIRST off, fair play to Harlequins for shunning the extra few quid they would have made by taking this one down the road to Twickenham and staying put at the Stoop, population 12,638.

Fly-half Nick Evans takes his place back in Dean Richards’ Harlequins starting line-up for the first time in four weeks against Leinster this Sunday in the Heineken Cup quarter final.

Harlequins 29 Scarlets 24

Ulster 21 Harlequins 10

Harlequins 42 Ulster 21

Captain Nick Easter returns to number eight for Harlequins ahead of the Heineken Cup match against Ulster at The Stoop on Saturday.

Scarlets 22 Harlequins 29

CARDIFF BLUES stayed firmly on course for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals last night, after subduing Harlequins’ spirited resistance at a windswept Arms Park.

Harlequins 13 Cardiff Blues 13

Stade Francais 37 Harlequins 17

There was no dream return to London Irish for England’s Peter Richards as Harlequins, his former club, recorded their second win over the Exiles this season with a narrow EDF Energy Cup victory.

IT was a scenario to turn some into a quivering wreck, and make a hero of others.

Australian fly-half Chris Malone clinched a dramatic injury-time European Challenge Cup victory for Bath over Connacht at the Rec today.

Bath 9 Biarritz 18

Leicester 12 Bath 15

Leicester 12 Bath 15

Bath 23 Leinster 35

Bath will try to put a Headingley horror show behind them tomorrow night by clinching a place in this season’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

Glasgow Warriors 10 Bath 29

London Irish 36 Bath 13