It’s as if he’s always been the ideal backup to the stars.

Considering he had blown enough fuses in his time to put the lights out all over Limerick, Jamie Cudmore was always liable to leave Munster in a dark place.

Harlequins 24 Leinster 18

Harlequins and Leinster will renew their European rivalry on Sunday – five years after the ’Bloodgate’ scandal that rocked rugby.

Munster need direct, physical approach to stop Harlequins

Leinster have announced the signing of Newcastle fly-half Jimmy Gopperth.

Harlequins head coach John Kingston believes his side’s recent success was built on their stunning victory at Thomond Park two years ago and insists that the spectre of Bloodgate will have no impact on their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Munster in April.

Dean Richards believes Leinster can become the first side to win the Heineken Cup three seasons in-a-row.

Former Irish hooker Bernard Jackman has signed a full-time contract as defence and skills coach with recently promoted French Top 14 side Grenoble.

To beat England at any level it is imperative that you match them in the set piece.

SO much physical and mental energy goes into preparing for an international test match that to have it called off as you are literally about to leave the dressing room must be emotionally draining.

IT MUST have been a rather chastened English contingent that arrived for their first get together under Stuart Lancaster at West Park rugby club in Leeds on Monday morning in preparation for the Six Nations championship after a calamitous weekend for their clubs in the Heineken Cup.

MAYBE going ahead with the game was the wrong thing.

WITH a Heineken Cup medal in his back pocket, a Magners League Grand final against his native province to come and the likelihood of a starting spot in the World Cup, things couldn’t be a whole better right now for Mike Ross.

Conor O’Shea isn’t inclined to look back to Bloodgate nor forward to a possible role in the Irish set-up. For the moment, it’s all about Wasps tonight at The Stoop. Harlequins’ director of rugby spoke to Simon Lewis

AC MILAN will not have known whether to laugh or cry after watching a display that was so typically Tottenham.

Wolves 3 Tottenham 3

FORMER Bradford manager Stuart McCall yesterday described the death of Dean Richards as an “absolute tragedy”.

IT has been a long journey but a worthwhile one for Mike Ross as Declan Kidney named him in the Ireland team to face Italy in the RBS 6 Nations opener in Rome on Saturday.

Mike Ross is ready to rally Ireland’s retreating scrum when they open their RBS 6 Nations against Italy on Saturday.

NIALL WOODS of the Irish Rugby Union Players Association has called for players suffering head injuries in rugby games to be sent to ‘brain bins’ for their own protection.

Former Harlequins physiotherapist Steph Brennan, who was struck off for his part in the "Bloodgate" rugby controversy, was today mounting a British High Court appeal in a bid to save his career.

European rugby bosses are tightening up on player discipline ahead of this season’s Heineken Cup, which was launched at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium today.

Former Harlequins physiotherapist Steph Brennan has been struck off following his role in rugby’s infamous 'Bloodgate' scandal.

A former Harlequins physiotherapist will appear before a Health Professions Council (HPC) conduct hearing today over the ’Bloodgate’ scandal.

The matchday doctor at the centre of the 'Bloodgate' saga did not act in the best interests of the rugby player she cut to cover up a bogus injury, a disciplinary panel said today.

Harlequins chief executive Mark Evans admits the club will never be able to erase the stain of 'Bloodgate'.

LEINSTER’S match-day doctor Professor Arthur Tanner believes the Bloodgate scandal would not have happened if he had been allowed to inspect the bogus mouth injury of Harlequins wing Tom Williams.

THE matchday rugby doctor at the centre of the ‘Bloodgate’ fake injury scandal said yesterday she was “ashamed” of her role in the event.

The matchday rugby doctor at the centre of the “Bloodgate” fake injury scandal said today she was “ashamed” of her role in the event.

The doctor at the centre of the “Bloodgate” scandal will today give her account of events to a disciplinary panel.

HARLEQUINS winger Tom Williams said yesterday he made the matchday doctor at the centre of the ‘Bloodgate’ fake injury scandal “a victim” when he persuaded her to cut his lip.

A doctor at the centre of the “Bloodgate” fabricated rugby injury scandal will face a medical disciplinary hearing today.

The doctor at the centre of the Harlequins ’Bloodgate’ scandal has been summoned to appear before a General Medical Council misconduct hearing in Manchester on August 23.

WALES star Lee Byrne and the Ospreys have been hit with misconduct complaints following last Saturday’s ‘16th player’ saga.

The Rugby Football Union are to investigate whether Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter should face charges of bringing the game into disrepute for his comments about referees.

Harlequins have confirmed today that former Ireland full-back Conor O’Shea will succeed the controversial Dean Richards as their Director of Rugby.

BARELY a week has passed in the last six months when the unholy alliance between sports and cheating hasn’t raised its ugly head and one of this year’s most controversial incidents was on the menu again yesterday.

CONOR O’SHEA is expected to be named as Harlequins’ new director of rugby.

Harlequins are expected to name a new director of rugby soon, with former Ireland full-back Conor O’Shea thought to be the front-runner for the post.

Cardiff Blues 20 Harlequins 6

THERE probably isn’t enough ink to do justice to an afternoon with Stuart Barnes. The former England international and Lion rolls out the stories and anecdotes — the late Keith Floyd figures in a few — in a steady stream.