Dolphin 24 Cork Constitution 27

Munster A 24 Leinster 17

Having defied medical opinion and returned to match fitness a month earlier than expected, Paul O’Connell sets out this afternoon on a path that could see him feature for Munster in next month’s Heineken Cup quarter-final with Harlequins.

Dolphin 27 UL Bohemians 9

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).

Munster 30 Edinburgh 3

RABODIRECT PRO12:

With a host of regular starters missing through Six Nations duty and others on the injury list Rob Penney has made twelve changes to his starting XV from the last RaboDirect PRO 12 game for tomorrow’s meeting with Edinburgh at Musgrave Park (7.45pm).

Champions Munster bid to become the fourth team guaranteed a place in the B&I Cup quarter-finals when they host Plymouth Albion at Temple Hill, Cork, tonight (7pm).

British and Irish Cup

Connacht 12 Munster 16

Rob Penney might think it strange to be still working his rugby brain in the build up to a day when Santa Claus and kids are king, but he knows he better get used to it.

James Coughlan will lead a much changed Munster side when they resume their RaboDirect PRO12 campaign against Connacht in Galway on Saturday (5.15pm).

Munster coach Rob Penney has made 10 changes from the starting team defeated by Saracens last week for tomorrow’s RaboDirect derby with Connacht at the Sportsground in Galway.

Munster’s impressive away B&I Cup victory over Rotherham Titans will mean nothing unless there is a performance of even higher quality at Musgrave Park this evening (6.30pm), according to Mike Prendergast.

On a weekend when the provinces showed their class in the Heineken Cup, Munster, Ulster and Leinster also had big wins in the British and Irish Cup.

Bristish and Irish Cup holders Munster face a major test of character when they take on Rotherham Titans at Clifton Lane this afternoon (2pm) with an experimental side.

Leinster ‘A’ 12 Munster ‘A’ 18

The remaining big challengers for the Ulster Bank title will have sat bolt upright after taking stock of Dolphin’s clinical bonus point victory at Musgrave Park on Saturday.

The return to home comforts at Cardiff Arms Park tonight is no guarantee to help the Blues end a dismal run of defeats by Munster, but director of rugby Phil Davies remains hopeful the visitors might find it hard to grind out a result there.

Having been released from Ireland’s Carton House training camp, Ronan O'Gara will take his place on the starting XV for Munster's RaboDirectPRO12 game against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park on Friday (7.05pm).

Shannon 13 Dolphin 31

Munster 19 Aberavon 11

Munster A coach Ian Costello has the luxury of being able to name what is arguably his strongest team for today’s British and Irish Cup clash with Aberavon in Tralee (1pm).

Having shown no ill effects from a full training session yesterday, Paul O'Connell has been named in Munster's starting XV for their opening Heineken Cup game against Racing Metro on Saturday in the Stade de France (1.35pm).

Garryowen 19 Dolphin 3

Munster 33 Dragons 13

Rob Penney may now have a defeat on his record as Munster head coach, but the New Zealander sends a much-changed team out tonight at Thomond Park (8pm) against Newport Gwent Dragons confident his players are heading in the right direction with a big month coming up in October.

Munster will reunite Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara at half-back for the first time in 19 months as head coach Rob Penney shuffles his deck for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Thomond Park (8pm).

Peter stringer and Ronan O’Gara will form a familiar halfback partnership for Munster’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with the Dragons in Thomond Park on Saturday (8pm).

Ulster Ravens 17 Munster A 19

Munster head coach Rob Penney has resisted the urge to start returning Test backs Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray and Keith Earls in tomorrow night’s RaboDirect Pro12 tussle with Ulster, having named the Ireland trio on the bench for the Ravenhill derby.

Munster got themselves up and running with this pre-season friendly victory over English second-tier opposition last night but for new head coach Rob Penney there was more than a hint of running before they have learned to walk as he tries to stamp his template on the province’s game.

Munster head coach Rob Penney will expect his squad take a step further along the road to readiness for the season ahead when they face Bristol at Musgrave Park tonight (7pm).

New coach Rob Penney has made four changes to his starting 15 for Munster’s second pre-season friendly against Bristol at Musgrave Park on Friday at Musgrave Park (7pm).

A tough day at the office for Munster’s youngsters, who fell heavily to French second division outfit Stade Rochelais at the Stade Marcel Deflandre in searing heat last night.

Doug Howlett will be back in Munster colours here in La Rochelle this evening (6.30pm) for the first time in eight months after recovering from a career-threatening Achilles tendon injury.

Doug Howlett could be set for his first outing in a Munster jersey in more than eight months having been named in a 32-man squad for the province’s opening pre-season friendly.

Newly-appointed Munster manager Niall O’Donovan is optimistic the province will regroup to become a major European force again.

Tony McGahan welcomed Ronan O’Gara back to Munster squad for the first time in a month ahead of tomorrow night’s RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final at Ospreys but revealed Damien Varley’s injury may be worse than first feared.

Ronan O'Gara returns to the Munster squad for the first time since the Heineken Cup quarter final game with Ulster for Friday's RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final clash with Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium (7.35pm).

Munster A secured a first British and Irish Cup victory with an accomplished all-round performance that overpowered brave Cross Keys at Musgrave Park last night.

Munster hooker Denis Fogarty has inked a deal with French second division club Aurillac coached by former Ulster, Ireland and Lions second row Jeremy Davidson.