When 34-year-old Tom Court considers how much time he might have left as a professional rugby player, he looks no further than former Irish international Peter Stringer for inspiration.

Serena Williams let herself briefly bask in the joy of a sixth Wimbledon championship, 21st Grand Slam singles trophy overall and fourth consecutive major title on Saturday, even balancing the winner’s silver dish atop her head — Look, Ma, no hands! — as she sauntered off Centre Court.

There was mayhem at Ravenhill last night as 14-man Ulster heroically booked a place in the last four of the RaboDirect League.

Table-toppers Leinster were made to fight tooth and nail for this result which puts them on the verge of securing a home semi-final while Ulster’s losing bonus point brought them a guaranteed place in the play-offs which could actually see the sides clash again.

Plots, sub-plots and challenges abound ahead of Ulster’s clash with Leinster at the newly refurbished Ravenhill tonight with Leinster looking to cement their place at the top, but more crucially Ulster continuing their bid to claim the final semi-final berth.

Tom Court has never earned a piece of silverware in eight seasons with Ulster, but the prop’s experiences as part of Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam-winning squad tells him that may be about to change.

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Ulster loosehead prop, Tom Court, will make his 150th appearance for Ulster in tomorrow’ RaboDirect PRO12 match against Cardiff Blues.

RABO DIRECT PRO 12:

Ulster 26 Scarlets 13

Ulster 38 Newport-Gwent Dragons 8

Benetton Treviso 12 Ulster 14

Noel Meade’s Texas Jack beat Baily Green to land the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles yesterday, but it was the third horse, Last Instalment, that was the real eye-catcher.

Munster-bound No.8 Robin Copeland has reaped an instant reward for his decision to return to an Irish province next season by being named in Joe Schmidt’s extended Ireland RBS 6 Nations and Wolfhounds squad.

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Treviso 3 Ulster 35

Nigel Twiston-Davies believes The New One is not yet at his physical peak as he puts his huge reputation on the line in the StanJames.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

The lure of a three-year contract offer from London Irish was plenty enough to convince Tom Court it was time to leave Ulster and potentially international rugby with Ireland behind.

Ulster have confirmed that loosehead prop Tom Court will leave the club at the end of this season after agreeing a long-term contract with an unnamed Aviva Premiership side.

There are three uncapped players in Ireland's squad of 34 players for the international Tests against Samoa, Australia and New Zealand at the Aviva.

Connacht 7 Ulster 18

Connacht 7 Ulster 18

Petra Kvitova went the distance again as she moved into the second round of the US Open with victory over Japan’s Misaki Doi on Arthur Ashe.

Wimbledon champion Serena Williams has accepted Andy Murray’s invitation for a showdown but admits it would be a struggle to win just one game against the Scot.

Lock Paul O’Connell has been ruled out of the remainder of the British and Irish Lions’ Test series against Australia with a fractured arm.

An arm injury sustained in the first-Test victory over Australia has placed Paul O’Connell’s Lions tour in jeopardy.

Ireland prop Tom Court has been called into the British and Irish Lions squad.

Ulster 18 Leinster 24

RABODIRECT PRO12

Ulster 28 Scarlets 17

RABODIRECT PRO12

Ronan O’Gara’s glittering international career could be over after he was dropped from the 32-man Ireland training squad ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations clash with France.

Declan Kidney proved once again this week that he isn’t as predictable and conservative as he is often typecast in the media.

IRELAND coach Declan Kidney backed debutants Paddy Jackson and Luke Marshall to come of age in a green jersey against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday.

In parachuting Paddy Jackson into the Ireland number 10 jersey for this Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Scotland, Declan Kidney has made the biggest call of his tenure as the national team head coach.

For all the confusion surrounding Cian Healy’s three-week suspension, there is one thing that is certain — he will not be playing at loosehead prop for Ireland against Scotland a week on Sunday.

Tom Court doesn’t do loud but his words yesterday, though delivered in hushed tones, spoke volumes for the frustration the Ulster prop still feels at being omitted from the Ireland squad last November.

Ulster 47 Scarlets 17

Ulster 27 Leinster 19

Ulster 9 Northampton Saints 10

Northampton 6 Ulster 25

Benetton Treviso 15 Ulster 16

Dragons 19 Ulster 46