Stephen Larkham has been labelled a “signature signing” for Munster and one that can help the province’s talented backline to click and the team to reconnect with a style that delivered a pair of Heineken Cups.

Denis Leamy is the new chief executive of the Cork Education and Training Board (CETB), Lavitt’s Quay, Cork.

For 20 years Michael Corcoran has been working in RTÉ, covering and commentating on the Irish provinces’ exploits in Europe, writes Kieran Shannon.

Veterans of the 15 previous clashes which Connacht have hosted against Munster will breathe a sigh of relief that the weather forecast for this evening in Galway is relatively good.

Billy Holland will make his 200th appearance for Munster when he lines out against Connacht in Saturday’s crucial Guinness PRO14 game at the Galway Sportsground.

Presentation Brothers, Cork, will begin the defence of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup with a first-round game in Cork against Castletroy College, Limerick.

Former Munster and Ireland lock Donnacha O’Callaghan will bring the curtain down on his illustrious career at the end of this season.

Former Irish lock Donncha O’Callaghan said that getting through his 20th preseason campaign as a professional was made all worthwhile when he was this week named as captain of Worcester Warriors for the season.

As smash hit double acts go, European professional club rugby never saw anything quite like Anthony Foley and Munster.

"The British & Irish Cup is good for getting a Munster group together but most of those lads have put on a Munster Jersey at some stage, they don’t need to know what it's like. They’ve done that loads of times."

THE impact of last Saturday’s defeat to England would still have been painful for the Irish players come Monday, writes Ronan O’Gara

With holders Shannon out, several clubs will fancy their chances of lifting the famous Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup; none more so than last year’s beaten finalists Clonmel.

At times, only a bottle of whiskey on a bar counter stood between Rory Best and myself sorting every ill there ever was in Irish rugby, writes Ronan O’Gara

Question: In light of Alan Quinlan’s assessment of Munster’s performance against Stade Francais being “embarrassing, humiliating, disgraceful” what three words would you use to describe the current malaise?

The big games this weekend are the two Munster Junior Challenge Cup semi-finals, with top-ranked Clonmel and Richmond facing up against each other, while the second semi-final involves St Senans against Galbally.

Niall Ronan knows all about preparing for big games and in the context of Kildare hurling, today’s Christy Ring Cup semi-final against Kerry is a huge affair.

The significance of Paul O’Connell’s final game for Munster this evening is lost on no-one who has shared his remarkable career in red.

Clonmel’s domination of Munster Junior rugby has been a project years in the making.

Rockwell 23, Ardscoil Ris 13:

Mark Butler has now coached Rockwell College to three Munster Schools Cup victories. But he was also at the helm when they lost the same number of finals so he was well entitled to smile after yesterday’s victory over Ardscoil Rís at sunny Thomond Park.

With all the focus being on the Aviva with a potential Grand Slam decider on Sunday, it will be a relatively quiet weekend on the Junior rugby front.

Munster Schools’ Senior Cup: Rockwell will be strong favourites in today’s Seat Munster Schools’ Senior Cup quarter-final against St Munchin’s at Clanwilliam (3pm), but will be well aware of the danger facing them.

Munster’s great tradition in European competition has always been something to cling to in tough times, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Junior Rugby Focus

Paddy Butler’s feet remain firmly planted on the ground despite the praise which followed his dramatic last-minute try which snatched a Guinness Pro12 win against Cardiff last month.

With five Heineken Cup successes over a magical seven-year period between 2006 and 2012, European rugby had become a happy hunting ground for the Irish, writes Donal Lenihan.

Former Munster star Paul Warwick has been forced to retire from the game due to a neck injury.

Marcus Horan enjoyed a phenomenal playing career with Munster and Ireland, winning two Heineken Cups and a Grand Slam. But retiring from professional rugby was something the Clare native didn’t find so easy.

You can talk about your Brian O’Driscolls or your Paul O’Connells but, in one way at least, Mike Ross is the type of face that best fits the idea of the modern Irish rugby professional.

Joe Schmidt has dismissed suggestions of bias towards Leinster fringe players in the national squad.

The insurers will tot up the cost of the damage inflicted by yesterday’s storm but there will be no pay-out to ease the heartbreak the weather has wreaked on Clonmel RFC.

“Follow that,” quipped Robin Copeland two days ago as he wrapped up his media duties at Ireland’s team base and breezed out the door past Tommy O’Donnell.

While some uncertainty remains about his future, Rob Penney is putting complete faith in his side.

RABODIRECT PRO12:

Leicester, Wasps and Munster.

Having been forced to hang up his rugby boots, due to a recurring injury last year, Ireland and Munster’s Denis Leamy closed the book on a fabulous trophy-winning career.

HEINEKEN CUP QUARTER-FINAL

RABODIRECT PRO12: Munster v Connacht

Nobody who attended the 2000 Munster Senior Schools Cup final — this reporter, then 13 years old, was among them — was unlikely to forget Rockwell College’s number eight.