Head coach Richard Cockerill has reinstalled hooker and captain Stuart McInally to the side in one of four changes to the starting line-up which defeated Leinster in last week’s round of the PRO14.

Scott Johnson started work yesterday, as the Australian Rugby Union’s director of rugby, charged with overseeing Wallabies’ coach Michael Cheika and helping to restore the sport and its national team to former glories in an increasingly difficult sporting landscape for the code Down Under.

A stranger perusing the team sheets in advance of this afternoon’s opening Champions Cup quarter-final might be forgiven for thinking that a Currie Cup fixture has been transported from Cape Town to Edinburgh.

Between the idle chatter about France and the build-up to the weekend’s nicely poised Champions Cup quarter-finals, one of the most important rugby stories slipped through unnoticed this week.

Munster fans may watch tonight’s PRO14 clash between Edinburgh and Leinster with more intensity than supporters of the visiting side at Murrayfield.

Richard Cockerill found out a long time ago that when one door opened another was always liable to smash him in the face.

Rival coaches Johann van Graan and Richard Cockerill have adopted contrasting strategies in choosing their teams for tonight’s (7.35pm) Guinness PRO14 encounter at Musgrave Park.

On a day of farewells at Thomond Park, the last thing Munster need this afternoon when Edinburgh come calling is to kiss goodbye to their season.

Johann van Graan has put his Munster players on alert that a Guinness PRO14 semi-final with Leinster in two weeks is no foregone conclusion.

Duhan van der Merwe crossed twice as Edinburgh saw off Munster on their return to Murrayfield.

Johnny Sexton will skipper Leinster tonight as four of the province’s British & Irish Lions return to action for the first time this season. 

Head coach Mike Ford has left Toulon by mutual agreement, with Richard Cockerill taking charge of the first team, the French side have announced.

Leicester Tigers boss Richard Cockerill savoured his team’s reversal of fortunes against Munster on Saturday.

It perhaps should not be surprising that, given the digital age in which we live, Leicester Tigers’ plan to get revenge over Munster this weekend first took shape on WhatsApp.

Rassie Erasmus may not remember whether he played at Welford Road during his Springboks days but the Munster boss is canny enough to acknowledge his players cannot afford to turn up there today feeling in any way complacent.

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has warned his squad they will have to overcome a Munster side galvanised by the death of Anthony Foley.

Leicester boss Richard Cockerill praised Freddie Burns’ “stardust” qualities after the fly-half inspired Tigers’ 27-17 European Champions Cup victory over Racing 92 at Welford Road.

MUNSTER have been warned it may take some time to get used to life under Rassie Erasmus.

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill sprang to the defence of Anthony Foley last night, saying the province’s supporters should back their under-pressure coach to see the province through its current run of bad form.

Richard Cockerill may have enjoyed a famous Leicester win at Thomond Park but the Tigers’ director of rugby refused to write off Munster’s chances of a Champions Cup fightback at Welford Road this Sunday.

Leicester Director of rugby Richard Cockerill believes Munster are being written off too soon and expects a backlash when his side travel to Thomond Park on Saturday.

Worcester Warriors 20 Leicester Tigers 29: There was a nice moment about an hour before kick-off at Sixways Stadium on Saturday when Donncha O’Callaghan and Geordan Murphy found themselves in the same part of the pitch as the sides limbered up for this Premiership clash.

England will go into a World Cup campaign on home soil without star centre Manu Tuilagi after he pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a police officer.

Ulster hooker Rob Herring will look to grab the attention of Ireland boss Joe Schmidt tomorrow as the province face a daunting trip to European champions Toulon.

Leicester put indifferent domestic form behind them as they made a strong start to their European Rugby Champions Cup Group Three campaign by sinking Ulster at Welford Road.

The restructuring of European rugby has removed one of the Irish province’s key advantages as they will no longer be able to rest players ahead of big games, according to Leicester Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill.

Leicester have signed New Zealand World Cup winner Brad Thorn.

Clermont 22 Leicester 16

As a player you can switch off, but as a coach you get home late and then wonder what you can do to make the next day better, writes Julian Bennets.

Richard Cockerill insists Clermont’s intimidating home record offers Leicester the chance to make history when the heavyweights clash in Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final.

Richard Cockerill will not face disciplinary action over his post-match comments made following last Saturday’s Aviva Premiership game between Leicester and Sale Sharks.

DAVID DRUMM has shocked and provoked me into attempting remedial action. Not in relation to my finances, thankfully. (I can’t blame him for the state of those, other than the impact of the higher taxes we all pay because of the incompetence of him and others in the stewardship of Anglo Irish Bank). No, it’s something else for which he has become famous that worries me about my own behaviour: the use of what is often called “bad” or “foul” language.

Toulon 21 Leicester Tigers 15

Richard Cockerill last night predicted a Heineken Cup “classic” when Leicester and Toulouse go head to head at Welford Road next Sunday.

Leicester boss Richard Cockerill admitted his team will need to show a considerable improvement in next week’s Heineken Cup return fixture against Treviso in their quest for a quarter-final place.

England full-back Alex Goode described Charlie Hodgson as the best fly-half in the Premiership after watching him orchestrate Saracens’ 30-13 Heineken Cup victory over Racing Metro on Saturday.

Leicester will be without captain Geordan Murphy for Saturday’s Aviva Premiership clash against champions Harlequins at Welford Road.

Fifty-cap England fly-half Toby Flood has been warned that he may have to accept a job-share arrangement with rising star George Ford when Leicester’s Aviva Premiership campaign opens on Sunday.

Centre Manu Tuilagi looks set to miss England’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland due to a hamstring injury.