Munster A couldn’t have faced a stiffer challenge than the champions in today’s B&I Cup opener with London Welsh at Towns Park, Midleton (2.30p.m.), but coach Peter Malone believes his young side will be up to the task.

As satisfied as Rassie Erasmus was to savour the winning start to his reign as Munster director of rugby, there was enough to concern him from Saturday’s Guinness Pro12 victory at Scarlets to keep both his and his squad’s feet firmly planted on terra firma.

Rassie Erasmus has given Munster’s young midfield hopefuls two pre-season games to stake their claim to a starting place for the new campaign before looking to bring in a more experienced replacement for long-term injury victim Francis Saili.

Canada’s parliament has adopted a law allowing medically-assisted death for the terminally ill, ignoring critics who wanted the legislation to cover people with degenerative diseases.

Munster A 31 Ulster A 38

Tommy O’Donnell, Donnacha Ryan and James Cronin return to action for Munster in tonight’s Guinness Pro12 clash with Glasgow Warriors on the 4G pitch at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock.

Munster Rugby has confirmed this afternoon that Duncan Casey has signed a two-year contract extension and Ulster Rugby's Sam Arnold will join the province on a two-year deal.

Yorkshire Carnegie 43 Munster A 29: Munster A’s valiant second-half fightback was all in vain as relieved Yorkshire Carnegie eventually claimed victory to all but seal Pool Three’s top spot in the British & Irish Cup.

Garryowen 10 Clontarf 3: Clontarf and Garryowen produced 10 tries between them when they met in the previous round of the Ulster Bank League last month on the Dublin club’s all weather pitch.

Rivals Cork Constitution and Garryowen are both under strength for this afternoon’s Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Cup quarter-final in Temple Hill (2.30pm).

Anthony Foley has laid it on the line for his players ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

With 16 Glasgow Warriors players tied up with Scotland at the World Cup as against five Munster men with Ireland, there is little doubt that the home side will be at a distinct advantage when the teams meet in a repeat of last year’s Guinness Pro12 final at Thomond Park this evening (6pm).

Versatility is one of Rory Scannell’s greatest assets, given his ability to play comfortably in different positions across a rugby back line.

Munster 18 Benetton Treviso 13: The consolation on a less than satisfactory Guinness Pro12 performance at Musgrave Park on Saturday night was the win, four points in the bag, that puts Munster in a much healthier position than at the same stage last season when they lost first time out to Edinburgh.

Munster A 41 Ulster Ravens 27: Kiwi outhalf Tyler Bleyendaal made his long-awaited Munster debut for the province’s second string during a 41-27 victory against the Ulster Ravens at Naas yesterday.

Doncaster Knights 38 Munster 17: British and Irish Cup: Another body blow on a bad week for Munster.

British and Irish Cup

Group leaders Worcester Warriors provide the opposition to Munster A in round five of the B&I Cup tournament at Cork Institute of Technology this evening (7.30pm) in a must-win game for the home side.

Veterans Donncha O’Callaghan and BJ Botha provide the experience in an otherwise youthful side chosen by new Munster head coach Anthony Foley for tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Gloucester at Kingsholm (3pm).

Debris that washed ashore in south-west Australia is not from the missing Malaysian Airlines plane, experts have said.

Unidentified material that has washed ashore in south-western Australia is being examined for any link to the lost Malaysian plane, authorities have said.

Search crews in the Indian Ocean have failed to pick up more of the faint underwater sounds that may have been from the missing Malaysian jetliner’s black boxes.

A man jumped off a bridge, falling to his death, after gardaí told him they were seizing his car for having no tax or insurance.

Munster U19 13 Leinster U19 32

Holders Rockwell College laid down a marker with an accomplished display to deservedly reach another Avonmore Milk Munster Schools’ Senior Cup final following their victory over Christian Brothers College at Musgrave Park yesterday.

A high-profile republican was cleared today of murdering two British soldiers outside an Army base in the North.

NEW Zealand prepared for further destruction as after shocks and an approaching storm threatened an area hit by the most devastating earthquake in decades.

Eleven people were being questioned today over the murder of two soldiers and a policeman in the North.

A short film written and directed by a student as part of his master’s degree course is being shown at the Cannes Film Festival this week.

POLICE in Melbourne have launched a massive manhunt after a man who tried to rescue a woman being dragged by her hair was shot dead yesterday.

Terrified bystanders have described seeing a gunman grab a woman by the hair before shooting three people in a busy Australian street.

The following is the Leinster U20 team to play Connacht in the Interprovincial series on Saturday in the Sportsground (KO: 2.30pm).

The Ireland Schools team to play England schools tomorrow in the opening game of the U18 4 Nations Schools tournament shows two personnel and three positional changes to the side that played against France last weekend in a friendly.