Conway has been rewarded with his longest Munster contract yet, a three-year deal, after a year in which he became Munster's third-highest try-scorer in history.

Munster have made a major statement of intent for the coming season after confirming the signings of South African World Cup winners Damian de Allende and RG Snyman.

The former Munster forward, now 29, will be the first Irish player to play in the league, if not the country itself, joining a who's who of southern hemisphere stars.

A run of two wins from their last eight games has increased the focus on the squad and management for all the wrong reasons.

There are three key metrics that Munster can use to measure progress, writes Owen Harrison.

Ireland’s so-called ‘green sweep’ on the opening weekend of the Heineken Champions Cup was always unlikely to be replicated in Round 2 given the quality of the French opposition for the Irish quartet.

The prospect of Munster being without Joey Carbery for several weeks has underlined Johann van Graan’s assertion that to win trophies the province will need a squad deep in quality.

Munster’s South African influence looks like deepening still further with reports that World Cup winners — centre Damian de Allende and lock RG Snyman — are to join the province

De Allende was a star performer as South Africa clinched the World Cup with victory over England on Saturday, having scored the crucial try in their semi-final win over Wales.

The four tries were selected by a panel of former players, including former Try of the Year winners Jamie Heaslip and Bryan Habana.

Battered and bruised and ultimately beaten, Wales and Warren Gatland’s World Cup dream ended at the hands of a giant South African outfit for the second successive tournament.

With the cream having risen to the top and the four best sides left standing in the tournament providing two contrasting semi-final shootouts, we are left, with a potentially explosive final with rugby north and south of the equator set for a fascinating head to head.

Featuring a battle of the airlines, X Factor, premature rumours of an international demise, and much more.

South Africa restored pride but could not deny New Zealand a sixth successive win in the Rugby Championship.

Rassie Erasmus believes keeping Springbok centre Jaco Taute at Munster beyond his short-term contract could be a possibility.

Conor O'Shea's Italy claimed their first-ever victory over South Africa with a nail-biting 20-18 success in Florence.

In Conor Murray’s 49-Test Ireland career to date the worst defeats have been those he has had to dwell on.

Joe Schmidt said Ireland failed to cope with a second-half “onslaught” from South Africa in today's second Test as the Springboks powered from 26-10 down to win 32-26 and tie the series at Ellis Park.

South Africa produced a brilliant second-half performance to come from 16 points down and force their three-Test series to a decider in Port Elizabeth next week.

When New Zealand and South Africa clash, all bets are off.

South Africa 64 USA 0: Heyneke Meyer paid tribute to Bryan Habana after the wing equalled the Rugby World Cup try-scoring record as his South Africa side confirmed their quarter-final spot with a comprehensive 10-try victory over USA.

South Africa 34 Scotland 16: Stand-off Duncan Weir hopes his stunning second-half burst against South Africa on Saturday will help seal his place in coach Vern Cotter’s plans as Scotland look to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

They go into the tournament with race representation plaguing them, but if South Africa come through the pool phase unscathed and purring, no team would relish taking them on in knockout rugby.